Eastern Elementary Backpack Program

Snow days are celebrated by most students.  Students are able to sleep late, play video games, visit social media and watch TV.   What may be forgotten is that many students get his or her only warm meals while in school.  Students on free and/or reduced meals are often dependent on the school system to not only feed them but to also provide a warm place during extreme cold weather.  

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Eastern Elementary parents, students and educators have not forgotten these students during this long period off.  

Through generous donations from parents, teachers and Grace Baptist Church, Eastern Elementary send home easy to fix meals to 47 students in a backpack on Fridays.  We have now been out of school for more than a week and have missed two Fridays in a row. The backpacks were delivered by the parents, students, counselors, teachers and principals  anyway.  Students that might have not been fed have received food because Eastern Elementary made this happen.  

I am often asked why I am such a big fan of public education and stories like these are my answer. Stories that rarely get mentioned in the paper.  Stories that show when there is a need, someone steps up and fills the need without expecting credit.  Stories like these show that state test scores aren't the priority with educators and parents, children are.  

Pictured above  are some of the volunteers that made sure students received his or her backpack:  John McDonald, Katie McDonald, Becky McDonald, Ann Shrewsberry, Sadie Kemper, Alexis Campbell, Corrie Kemper, Allie Kemper, P.T. Kemper and Ed Denney