SCCC/ATS Club Conducting School Supply/Book Drive

Saints Promoting Education Careers (SPEC), the club for education majors at Seward County Community College/Area Technical School, is conducting a school supply and book drive through Sept. 24 to benefit students at Washington Elementary.

Washington Elementary students need school supplies throughout the year, according to Traci Mettlen, principal at Washington. Mettlen also requested book donations, as she noted that many of their students live in homes with no books in them.

Needed supplies include pencils, glue sticks, scissors, crayons, dry erase markers, paper, and rulers. Other supplies are welcome as well. Club members are also seeking new or gently used children’s books for preschool through third grade level.

Anyone with items to donate may place them in collection boxes at four locations on campus at SCCC/ATS: the administrative office or the library in the Hobble Academic Building, the humanities office in the Shank Humanities Building, or Wade Lyon’s office in the Student Union Building.

Those who want to help may also contribute funds to be used to purchase books. Any funds received will go directly to buy books for Washington students, according to Janice Northerns, club sponsor. Checks should be made payable to SPEC and designated for “book drive". Checks may be mailed to Janice Northerns, SCCC/ATS, PO Box 1137, Liberal ,KS 67905, or dropped off in person to Terri Barnes, humanities secretary, in the Shank Humanities Building.

Club members are hoping for lots of donations.

“Since this is a club filled with future teachers, they are excited about helping out students at a local elementary school,” Northerns said. “We try to do a couple of education-related service projects each year. It helps our club members understand the teaching profession a bit better and also allows them to give back to the community.”

The school supply/book drive will run through Sept. 24, and club members will present donations to Washington Elementary on Sept. 25. For more information, call Janice Northerns at 620-417-1456 or email [email protected].