Rating:

0.0 (0 votes)

TUCSON - Education is critical for every child's success but many kids don't have the basic school supplies they need to get the job done.

That's why we've teamed up with the Tucson Association of Realtors and we're launching the News 4 Tucson Kristi's Kids School Supplies Drive.

Kristi's Kids is going out to eight school districts in our area to find out what educators need. Flowing Wells and Tanque Verde are up first.

Ana Yang started teaching kindergarten last year in the Flowing Wells district. On the first day of class it was Mrs.Yang who learned a big lesson.

"There were a lot of things that I had to pay for out of my own pocket and there were a lot of things I didn't know I needed."

She spent about $200 out of pocket.

"Oh my gosh! I paid for school boxes. I paid for hundreds of glue sticks. I paid for some erasers," she says.

It's also Michaela Izzo's second year teaching kindergarten. Ms. Izzo spent a lot of money out of pocket.

"I didn't think I'd have to go out and buy glue sticks and crayons. I thought those kind of things would be there."

Anna Campos teaches ninth grade.

"Instead of having a class set, I have 5 different classes that all need to share the same supplies and they need to last through the whole day."

She says her high school students need pens, notebooks and backpacks.

Over at the Tanque Verde district they're growing, so they need to fill a new library.

"Most of the library books having been placed here in the Emily Gray site," says Superintendent Doug Price. "We're in need of new volumes at the high school both in fiction and non-fiction. We need reference books."

Superintendent Price tells us they also need the basic supplies. There's always a big demand for paper and he says your help is essential.

"These efforts to stuff the bus is just indicative of the community, that they really do support education in every way they can."

The Kristi's Kids School Supplies Drive will benefit the following districts. Tanque Verde, Flowing Wells, Tucson Unified, Amphi, Vail, Catalina, Marana and Sunnyside.

Look for donation boxes at Walgreens.

Click here for more information on the School Supplies Drive.