This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
A group of Boulder County non-profits who join together to collectively form 'Crayons to Calculators' are once again launching their Community Challenge to ensure every child in the area can go back to school with the supplies they need to succeed.
Crayons to Calculators is a collaborative partnership between five area nonprofits: Education Foundation for the St. Vrain Valley, I Have a Dream Foundation of Boulder County, Impact on Education, Sister Carmen Community Center, and Foothills United Way. Our beneficiaries are the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) and the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD). The group came together to assist children in the area and explain on their website why they needed to help.
"There are more than 15,000 kids in the Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley school districts who qualify for free and reduced lunch—an indicator of poverty. The cost of basic school supplies ($60–$80 per student), presents a financial burden for many of these kids’ families. Crayons to Calculators aims to cut that cost and move one step closer to eliminating the achievement gap. Having the right school supplies is a critical first step to help a student achieve higher literacy levels, improve academic performance, and graduate. It also enables schools to operate more effectively. Our goal: For the 2017-2018 school year, we will provide full backpacks to over 10,000 students—pre-school through high school – across Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley."
As part of their supply drive, Crayons to Calculators runs a friendly competition from July 1st to July 31st amongst local companies and community groups called the Community Challenge. Community and business groups raise funds for school supplies and fill backpacks on behalf of their groups. Companies can win the challenge by earning points. They get 60 points for every full backpack donated; one point for every dollar donated; and 10 points for every two-hour shift on the assembly line. One of Longmont's biggest employers, Seagate regularly takes part in the challenge by purchasing backpacks and inviting employees to fill them with supplies. They are also a drop off point for the public along with many other Longmont businesses.
The Longmont Observer spoke to Caroline Grundy from Crayons to Calculators about the Community Challenge.
"The Community Challenge is a fun way to rally a company to collect supplies for students in need in SVVSD. The Education Foundation for the St. Vrain Valley can provide collection bins, posters, and/or jars to display at businesses. Once bins and/or jars are full, a staff member from the Education Foundation will pick up materials."
Members of the community are encouraged to get involved too by donating a backpack, making a donation or by signing up for a volunteer shift on the Crayons to Calculators assembly line in July. Caroline informed the Longmont Observer they are actively seeking people to fill volunteer shifts on July 17th and July 20th in particular. You can find out more details on their website.
