Spicewood Elementary students help foster children
By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula
Children in foster care often have to move from home to home, toting their personal items in plastic bags along the way. Sometimes they don’t even sleep on the same pillow as they did the night before.
Children in the newly-0formed Leadership Club at Spicewood Elementary helped fellow youngsters by holding a donation drive for personal care items, ranging from socks to shampoo, as part of the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for the Highland Lakes Area project known as the CASA Case Project, a partnership with the First Baptist Church of Marble Falls.
“The donations students collected will help child victims of abuse and neglect transition into foster care more smoothly,” said Kristen Harris, executive director of CASA for the Highland Lakes Area. “It’s always refreshing to see the youngsters in our community getting involved and helping those in need.”
“Often children are removed from their home with nothing except the clothing on their backs and what little they can carry in their arms on the way out the door,” according to CASA. “In these situations, Child Protective Services relies on the Child Welfare Boards, CASA and other community members to try to help meet the needs of these children.”
To help, each grade level was assigned items to donate during February.
“Most donation drives are focused on an incentive, such as a pizza party, but not in this case,” said Casey Marquez, 3rd grade teacher and one of the club’s teacher sponsors at Spicewood Elementary.
Over 480 items were donated. First graders used the $60 they had made from their market day to buy socks. “That was really neat,” Marquez said.
Even more of a learning experience will be students’ trip to the CASA offices in Kingsland this week to drop off the items.
For more on this story, see The Highlander on Tuesday, March 8.
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The CASA Case Project is ongoing.
Donations of the following items are needed:
• New pillows with pillow cases
• Child-friendly Bibles
• New sets of socks and undergarments
• Hygiene products, such as Axe Body Spray for teen boys, soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes, hairbrushes and hair products.
A contribution to the cause can also be made by way of check, which can be mailed to CASA for the Highland Lakes Area: 1719 Ridgeview Dr., Kingsland, TX, 78639. Organizers ask that check writers designate “CASA Cases” on the memo lines of their checks.
One hundred percent of the contributions will go toward the CASA Case Project.
For more information about CASA, including other ways to volunteer and help, visit www.highlandlakescasa.com.
