Beverly 8th Graders Inspired To Stock Classrooms With Supplies

BEVERLY, MA — Charlotte Miller and Nina Orlando are looking to leave a little extra something in Beverly Middle School classrooms as they head off to high school.

For their eighth-grade civic engagement project, the two girls chose to organize a school supply drive in hopes of making teachers' lives a bit easier and cutting down on the need to ration simple everyday school items.

"Throughout my and Nina's years in the Beverly Public Schools, we noticed that teachers have trouble providing supplies for their classrooms," Miller told Patch. "They would have to limit the number of pencils used, ask students to be cautious about the amount of glue and stationary used and make sure that students returned the various supplies they borrowed.

"This inspired us to take action and support teachers in our community."

Starting Monday, and throughout next week, collection bins will be set up in the foyers of the Beverly elementary schools and Beverly Middle School. Donations from staff, students and the general public can be made during regular school hours.

The girls are seeking pencils, pens, erasers, scissors, crayons, markers, rulers, notebooks, highlighters, colored pencils, gluesticks, expo markers, paper, handheld pencil sharpeners and tape.

"Though teachers do get supplies from the PTO every year, the supplies tend to run out around
halfway through the school year," Miller said. "We would like to help provide teachers with extra supplies that would last them to the end of the school year, making sure they don't have to spend their own money on supplies.

"Nina and I are hoping to collect enough supplies to cover at least a few classes at each school."

Supplies must be new and in unopened conditions. Monetary donations to buy supplies will be accepted.

"We are hoping that our community would like to help support us while we hold this drive, and also help the teachers of the Beverly Public Schools," Miller said. "We are very appreciative of those who choose to help and assist us in completing this drive."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)