Every day, there are students across the South Coast who struggle with poverty, and that struggle has an impact on the quality of education for those homeless students enrolled in Massachusetts public schools.
A homeless child is nine times more likely to repeat a grade, and homeless children have twice the rate of learning disabilities. These alarming statistics have led Old Rochester Regional High School’s Community Service Learning (CSL) club to start a School Supplies Drive to support a local organization that is fighting homelessness by providing extra educational services to homeless students in the area.
This organization is called Schools on Wheels Massachusetts (SOWMA), and it helps students struggling with homelessness by providing them with volunteer tutors and school supplies. Since its creation in 2004, SOWMA has supported more than 1,800 students across their 12 program sites in Southeastern Massachusetts.
The drive wish list includes items such as backpacks, notebooks, rulers, pencil pouches, index cards, crayons, filler paper, 1-inch binders, and the list goes on and on. All items must be new.
Supplies collected by Old Rochester will go to students in need primarily in New Bedford, Fall River, and Brockton.
Senior Alexandria Powers worked together with CSL supervisor Heidi Graser to start the drive. Powers is a part of the SOWMA program, and she brought the drive to the school in order to allow ORR students the opportunity to help those in need.
“I contacted one of the reps, and he gave me tips on how to start the drive,” said Powers. “And when I brought it back to Ms. Graser, she really wanted to help. So we got together a lot during school and put the drive together!”
Powers is involved in the SOWMA program by tutoring local homeless children to ensure they stay on track in school.
“I tutor children in New Bedford and became inspired by how happy and enthusiastic the kids are to learn considering their situations,” said Powers. “Ms. [Kelly] Ochoa got me involved in the program along with a few other seniors in our AP Spanish class.”
The drive began on April 25 and will continue indefinitely until the CSL has collected enough supplies to donate at one time. In order to advertise, donation boxes have been set up in nearly every homeroom at ORR, including one big box in the Front Office. Posters have been set up in the hallways where students will see them and be reminded to help those less fortunate than themselves. One poster for the drive has also been featured on the Old Rochester Regional Facebook page.
If the community has any questions or donations for the drive, CSL supervisor Heidi Graser is available to email at hgraser@orr.mec.edu.
By Sienna Wurl