The campus is fortunate enough to be a microcosm of society, having students from life’s highest of highs and lowest of lows, from common backgrounds to the imaginable ones. Our students come with stories that are amplified and some that are purposefully hidden.

We have students who easily succeed without assistance and students who need a bit of help. With as many resources as the campus offers, we now have another one to assist all students mentioned above with a variety of life’s simple needs.

On October 12, 2018, Ms. Leslie McClellan sent out a mass email to the entire campus introducing a community closet.

“It will be a room full of donated items consisting of gently used clothing and hygiene products,” McClellan said in the email. “The supplies will be provided to students in need, no questions asked.  We will provide appointment slips for self-referrals or a staff referral is sufficient.”

She saw the idea from social media. Schools had the same concept – a place on campus where students can get basic necessities that they may struggle to get outside of school.

“I took the idea to Mr. Hernandez and he thought it would be great,” McClellan said.

With the help of Ms. Misty Ornelas, the two counselors first sent the email out to the faculty for assistance. They will soon be reaching out to community members and business to fill the “closet.”

“We’re asking for gently use items (clothing and shoes) and brand new hygiene products,” Ornelas said.

The counselors are in the process of sorting out clothing that has already been donated, as well as building shelves in the room where the items will be housed. They are looking at opening the community closet the week before Thanksgiving. However, some counselors have already received referrals for students who need assistance. They have already tapped into the “closet.”

“The closet is open for everyone, not just kids in need, not just McKinney-Vento, or not just free or reduce lunch,” Ornelas said. “If you have a need, we will help you.”

It will also be a place for students who need to wash their clothes.

“We do have washer and dryers on campus. We are in the process of asking them for permission for students to use,” Ornelas said.

Ideally, as the community closet is established, the goal is to grow it.

“I know it’s a touchy feeling,” McClellan said, “But we want to make sure [students know] the resource is there. And we want teachers to know the resource is there [to refer students]. They just have to let us know.”

The community closet will be open Tuesday and Thursdays once officially established. If you’d like to help stuff the closet with gently used clothes or brand new hygiene products, contact Ms. Leslie McClellan at [email protected] or Ms. Misty Orneals at [email protected].