It’s back-to-school season, and while maybe you’re considering donating a backpack full of supplies to a drive – sometimes need comes in other, less thought-about forms. School nurses and businesses in Rapid City say now is the time to try and make a difference.
Rapid City-based Recruiting Resources has spearheaded a drive to stock school nurses’ offices for the coming school year.
Amanda Keller is a coordinator with the group. She explained why they got involved with the local school district.
“When our team had thought about doing a school drive everybody was so excited to get the fun things – the backpacks the pencils and notebooks and stuff," Keller said "Then when they came to me and shared what they really need is the basic necessities, it just hit us like – wow.”
For Sateera Thompson, nurse educator for Rapid City Area Schools, the reality of student need extends to socks, underwear and food for kids with hungry bellies.
“Sometimes kids are nervous or anxious or ill-prepared," Thompson said. "Just having that loving face, that person to say, ‘that’s okay, can I give you some crackers, do you need a granola bar, do you need a hug?’ Those kids - it’s like an icebreaker for them. They say yes.”
Nurse Thompson said when a nurse’s office is a safe place, you can see a difference a pair of socks can make.
"Helping kids meet those primary needs sets them up successfully for education, and if their first hierarchy of needs aren’t met it’s really hard to learn," Thompson said. "Providing them with warm clothes, snacks when maybe they were a little late school and couldn’t get breakfast, really is a big benefit for their learning.”
People interested in supporting the drive are encouraged to reach out to the Rapid City Public Schools Foundation, or by asking their student's nurse directly about needs.