This summer, as Teach For America – San Diego welcomed our fifth ever cohort of teachers to the San Diego region, employees at Mitchell were participating in our first ever school supply drive.

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The average educator spends nearly $600 of their own money every year on basic classroom supplies. This number is often compounded for teachers, like our corps members, who work in low-income schools. One corps member shared, “I cannot put the financial burden of school supplies on my students’ families. Unfortunately, that means once my classroom stipend is spent, all other supplies are out-of-pocket expenses for me.” His experience is far from unusual; in fact, nearly two-thirds of all classroom supplies are purchased by teachers.¹

Our alumni know first-hand the gaps in opportunity and materials that low-income students face on a daily basis and how much of a difference a fully supplied classroom can make. Armed with this knowledge, Teach For America alumni at Mitchell helped to spearhead a school supply drive for 1st and 2nd year Teach For America – San Diego corps members.

Mitchell International employees collected over 2,000 items for students in low-income communities. From colored pencils, to calculators, to paper, there were dozens of boxes waiting for teachers to help give their students the tools they need to succeed. Corps members were excited to share the opportunities these supplies offered their students. Sara, a first year environmental science teacher at Bayfront Charter High School, received test tubes and other supplies for her classroom. She could not wait to have her students perform soil tests utilizing the new materials, an opportunity they otherwise would not have had.

A big thank you to the supply drive team leads, our alumni, and Mitchell for making our first ever school supply drive such a success!

¹ "New Survey Details How Teachers Use Their Own Money to Fill in Equity Gaps," (Teaching Now) November 16, 2016.