Public schools in Watonga begin the 2023-24 year Aug. 10. But this year there was no race to fill shopping carts with notebooks and lined paper.
Instead, the City of Watonga has partnered with several local businesses and many area residents who donated to the school supply drive to outfit the biggest needs of all 800 students at the Watonga Public Schools.
“We are doing this in cooperation with the businesses and donors to help families, students and teachers,” said City Manager Karrie Little. “We’re here to help out. It’s all to support the kids and we want everybody to have the tools they need.”
Several area businesses, like Apple Market, SPC Office Supplies and Dollar General worked with the city to secure bulk pricing on needed items. That broke down to 21,000 pencils and 17,000 page protectors.
Then city employees and volunteers worked together to load bags with supplies for high school and middle school students. Those bags were handed out Aug. 8 at meet the teacher night.
Over at the elementary school, things were done a little differently. The supplies were separated by grade level. Students were then directed to the appropriate grade level tables where they were able to select their own supplies, choosing the colors that they liked best. Then the supplies could be taken directly to the student’s classroom, eliminating that first day rush or the possibility that items get lost or left at home before school begins. It is all right there in the classroom, waiting for the first day of school.