Backpack Drive Gives Back to Community

By Kim Carmichael, Chief of Staff | Monday, August 27, 2012 5:54 PM

Central Texas area students choose backpacks from the donation site in Austin. UIL staff donated 72 backpacks to the non-profit.

Photo by Kim Carmichael

Back to school means a fresh start to a new school year.

For some children it also means worrying about having the supplies they need for a successful school year. For the second year in a row, the UIL staff wanted to erase that worry for local school children grades Pre-K through fifth grade by hosting a backpack collection drive.

This July, UIL staff partnered with an Austin-based non-profit organization to provide the tools that students need for a productive school year. The back-to-school initiative is an important community program that provides children living in poverty with one backpack, a set of school supplies, books, and two new sets of clothing. The program helps children to feel confident and creates positive experiences at the beginning of school to promote academic success.

The 2012 UIL backpack drive resulted in 72 new backpacks donated by UIL staff members to help some of the 2,000 students who benefitted from this year’s program.

We wish all students, teachers and coaches and school administrators a successful 2012-13!