Antioch Teen Helps Supply Students With Free School Supplies Program

On Saturday April 11, Orchard Park Student eight-grader Claryssa Wilson helped her follow students in the Antioch Unified School District by providing school supplies.

As a sixth-grader at Black Diamond Middle School, Wilson came up with the Stuff the Bus School Supply Retention Give-a-Way Program. A program where students and teachers can get school supplies at no cost.

“In sixth grade, kids would always have to ask for supplies and it ended up where teachers were actually losing supplies and it would make them upset because kids never prepared for class or have their school supplies,” says Wilson. “I would lend my pencils and my paper and then I would lose out on my supplies. I figured I could create something where they could get supplies without taking everyone else’s supplies.”

Wilson highlighted how she did not like the situation that was occurring in school but that it presented her with an opportunity to find a solution for students who needed help getting school supplies to be prepared in class.

“It was like a light bulb went off where I could create some type of program to give back to kids,” explained Wilson. “I spoke with different people in the community who wanted to help and Pegnim & Ivancich Youth Foundation helped me get started through their Youth Foundation.”

This is now the third event, it progressed to more than 90-students who attended the event along with 15-teachers. It was scheduled for the end of spring break in order to give students the tools needed to complete the school year.

Her mother, Velma Wilson, highlighted how proud she was of her daughters program and that its very rewarding seeing everyone attend.

“One of the rewarding parts of the event happened today was when a 1^st and 2^nd greater, Spanish speaking family who came and were overwhelmed with all the schools supplies and they did not have to worry about the cost associated with it,” said Wilson.  “A little girl began to cry in excitement that she was able to get supplies she needs for school. The parents were overly happy and did not know how to act. It was amazing and truly mind blowing.”

Wilson said the program will continue this upcoming fall before school starts where they will have a large giveaway for back to school. During that event, its anticipated students may receive backpacks and their will have an expanded teacher section.

Acceding to Wilson, supplies were donated by Pegnim & Ivancich Youth Foundation, Antioch Schools Education Foundation while Republic Services sponsored 800 folders in this giveaway while they are geared to give back a lot of recycled desks, trays, and all kinds of pencil boxes in the future.

Over the three events she has hosted since the launch of the program, Claryssa Wilson has seen a change in peoples attitudes towards it saying attendees filled up bags as if they were grocery shopping.

“At first, people were scared to come thinking it would cost them money. In the second one, lots of teachers showed up for class supplies and on Saturday about 90 kids showed up along with 15 or so teachers for supplies and they embraced it,” explained Wilson. “It’s a mind-blowing experience to see how many people really need school supplies because it was always like a few kids out of my classmates who needed supplies but to serve a whole family needing school supplies it gives me a good feeling because I am helping someone who needs help.”

Next year, when Claryssa Wilson enters high school, she hopes to continue the program and anticipates her level of involvement will be decided by her school workload. She anticipates a heavy schedule.

“I would like to expand it other areas to help others start their own program. I would like to mentor other kids to expand the program into other cities so the program can carry on in a few years when I go away to college” said Wilson.