With a backpack full of fresh school supplies, a kid can take on the world. Just think of the ideas that might pour from those pens and the problems that might be solved with those sharp pencils! And nothing says I’m ready to work like a snowy sheaf of blank notebook paper.
But more than 90,000 students in St. Louis can’t afford school supplies. We’re not talking about iPads and other expensive extras, but basics: pencils, paper, scissors, binders and other tools of the student’s trade most of us take for granted. The government doesn’t provide enough money to meet the need, and teachers often end up spending their own cash on classroom materials.
KidSmart—Tools for Learning provides free school supplies to tens of thousands of children in need. “Every child deserves to be equipped for learning,” says president Jennifer Miller. “Our mission is to empower children in the metropolitan area to succeed in school by making sure they have essential tools. The need is huge, and we rely heavily on donations and on surplus office supplies and merchandise that individuals and businesses would normally discard.”4.16.14
Established in 2002, KidSmart has distributed more than $35 million in school supplies to more than 102,000 disadvantaged youngsters in the area. The free educational supply store, staffed by volunteers, serves kids in prekindergarten through grade 12. Teachers from eligible schools (those in which 70 percent or more of student families are at or below the poverty level) are invited to shop for materials at KidSmart’s free store once a month, from August through May.
KidSmart reaches 123 schools in 12 districts throughout St. Louis. “But there are still thousands more children who desperately need our services,” Miller says. “We’re not publicly funded, and we’re not a United Way agency. We depend on community support to keep our shelves stocked with materials.”
The annual Back to School with Joe Buck Celebrity Bee, KidSmart’s signature fundraising event, takes place May 8 at the Wings of Hope hangar at Spirit of St. Louis Airport. The bee, presented by Emerson, teams local celebrities, sports stars and corporate sponsors to test their knowledge of science, current events and other subjects—with occasional help from area students. Rampage, Louie and Fredbird serve as honorary chairs. Expenses are covered by KidSmart’s board, so all proceeds and sponsorship dollars directly benefit the free store.
“The audience plays along, and it’s great fun,” says Buck, who has emceed the event for 10 years. It’s a family affair for the Fox sportscaster, whose daughters, Natalie, 17, and Trudy, 14, come with him every year. “I was one of the lucky ones,” he says. “I grew up in Ladue; I went to Country Day. I was given every opportunity to learn, and I’m trying to do the same for my kids. But every child deserves the same chance. Teachers need tools, students need supplies, and our community needs educated young people to drive our future. KidSmart helps make it possible.”
By Tony Di Martino