ST. LOUIS – It’s an exciting night for KidSmart’s Lighting Up Learning event, where 500 teachers lined up around the building and onto the street to receive free school supplies.
Tuesday night marked the beginning of KidSmart and Ameren’s week-long mission to distribute $1 million worth of supplies to assist the 90,000 local students in starting 2025 on a positive note.
“I work in an urban school district and it’s a lot harder to purchase the supplies I used to do on my own,” teacher Lieda Shadwick said. “So, I’m really grateful for everything they do here.”
Before loading their primary school supplies into the back of their vehicles, other students in the community greeted teachers with candy canes and a personal encouraging note.
Each teacher received classroom supply boxes and bags of books, ensuring their students have what they need to succeed.
“There’s nothing like being in that classroom and all of the possibilities, all of the dreams and the hopes that they have, and if they don’t have those supplies that they need, then they just can’t be successful as other students in other classrooms,” Abbie Enlund, KidSmart’s vice president of philanthropy and development, said.
Ameren Missouri’s sponsorship made the event possible. KidSmart made sure to show appreciation to their hardworking volunteers. Teachers were grateful for this helping hand.
“Oh my God! KidSmart is a godsend!” teacher Kendra Vaughn said. “I am so grateful because it gives all the students that need the resources they need to be successful in the classroom.”
“Just free supplies and not having to use my own money because I do spend a lot for my own classroom sometimes,” teacher Tea Williams said.
This is just the start of KidSmart’s distribution week. Another 500 teachers are scheduled to receive supplies in the coming days.