Upper Darby students pick up donated supplies

The start of school was still a week away for students at Bywood Elementary School in Upper Darby, but fourth-grader Makhi Simms and his sister, Bryanah, were already walking into the cafeteria on Monday morning, getting ready for the year to come.

They were two of 50 children at the school dropping by to each pick up a new backpack, a shopping bag full of supplies, and a book, all donated by the staff at the school.

The items were purchased by the teachers during the summer.

"I'm happy that my mom doesn't have to spend so much money" to get him ready for school," Makhi said.

His mother, Arlean Gray, echoed the sentiment. "We're really grateful," she said. "It eliminates some of the financial burden and gives them just about everything they need. This school is wonderful. They're always helpful."

The Bywood staff chipped in close to $3,000 to purchase the supplies and backpacks, said third-grade teacher Erinn Smith-Delss, who pulled together the giveaway. There are 30 classroom teachers at the school; other staff members, including administration, aides, and specialists, contributed as well, she said.

The Philadelphia chapter of the Marketing Research Association, a trade group, also donated $550, Smith-Delss said.

"We're trying to build a strong school community and bring it outside to the larger community as well," said Daniel McGarry, principal at the 660-student school, which is home to grades one to six. "This is part of that effort."

This is the second year that the staff at the school, where 75 to 80 percent of the children come from low-income families and there are 23 languages spoken in students' homes, has held the giveaway. Last year, they bought 25 sets.

Smith-Delss said that there was a very practical reason for the project. "When . . . I'm not prepared, I don't put my best self forward. I don't have a chance to make the best impression," she said.

"As exciting as the first day of school is for the students, it's also stressful," she added. "I thought if I could give them a bit of a self-confidence boost, and help them put their best foot forward [by making sure they have all the school supplies they need], maybe the rest of the year would be a little bit different. From a little bit of generosity, a lot could happen."

A typical bag of supplies for a fifth-grader contained pencils, pencil sharpeners, pencil cases, crayons, tissues and hand sanitizers, folders, glue sticks, notebooks, a highlighter, and scissors. It cost about $50; the backpack cost another $20.

Parents said the donations were appreciated. "It helps me out a lot," said Melissa Orellana, the mother of seven, three at Bywood. "This school really tries to take care of its own."

Said Jacquelyn Douglas, the grandmother of fourth-grader Taliyah Lawton, "She has all her supplies now and is ready for the school year. This is beautiful. It really helps."

Beyond the educational benefit of the effort, there's an emotional payoff as well, said Cheryl Pauly, a fifth-grade teacher who participated in the giveaway. It is gratifying, she said, when her students "come in with backpacks full, and when the teacher says 'Get this out,' they have it."

And, she said, "when you see the gratitude and the sense of 'This is mine; I'm ready to start,' it makes your heart smile. . . . Hopefully other schools in our district and beyond will see this and initiate something like it."