A long-standing and much appreciated partnership between the Pueblo chapter of the NAACP and our Title 1 Schools once again paid big dividends for both scholars and teachers.
Roxanna Mack, president of the chapter, and Helen Wylie, vice president, spent most of Thursday dropping off boxes of Kindergarten-age supplies to Columbian, Minnequa, Bessemer Academy, Beulah Heights, Bradford and Park View.
“We believe that Kindergarten is the foundation,” said President Mack. “So we purchased items listed on the schools’ Kindergarten supply lists. It’s just a way to give back to the community while letting our teachers know that they are appreciated, and their sacrifice is not taken lightly.
“Our students are the foundation and the teachers help build that foundation.”
The hefty boxes of supplies – purchased through donations made by chapter members – were well received by the Principals on hand to greet the chapter leaders.
“This is a beautiful thing,” said Principal Jonathan Dehn of Beulah Heights. “We want to make sure our kids have everything they need, and to have community representation and support goes a long way for us in making sure our students can be successful.
“We’re going to make sure all these supplies find their way into the hands of the kids so that they can get to work and get that learning going.”
At Bradford, first-year Principal Michelle Macias Padilla said the school’s relationship with the NAACP chapter is a treasured one.
“They’ve donated to us in the past and it’s so wonderful that they keep coming back to us. We are so appreciative,” Principal Macias Padilla said. “And we’d love to continue working with these ladies and their organization so that we can establish a stronger relationship with them.”
Ideally, President Mack would like to see more community agencies and groups join the NAACP in purchasing supplies.
“I would love for other organizations to join us in meeting our goal, which is to supply the needs of every school, so that teachers won’t have to worry about how they’re going to get the supplies,” she said.
As a token of appreciation, President Mack and Vice President Wylie received a heart-felt note from Principal Macias Padilla.
“It truly takes a village! When a community comes together to help and support one another, our ability to change lives is unstoppable. The generosity of people and organizations such as yours strengthens and uplifts our community. We cannot thank you enough for your generosity: it is accepted with open arms and gratitude.”
