This spring, COVID-19 necessitated school closures and a shift to at-home learning. Newcomer students and their families were tasked with a remote spring quarter and summer school. The IRC in Seattle’s Youth Team, seeing the potential challenges of remote learning for newcomer students, put the call out to IRC supporters for supplementary school and art supplies.

Immediately, generous commuinty members began putting together kits with pencils, paper, arts and craft supplies, rulers and compasses, graphing calculators, headsets, and other necessary items.

Volunteers contributed individually, expressing their hope to help families during such a challenging time. Families worked together to build kits with the lived understanding of how different it is for students to be away from friends, teachers and school resources. The Starbucks Welcoming Refugees Alliance, an employee led initiative at Starbucks, collected a mass quantity of art supplies (and other items) which will support students taking IRC’s supplementary art classes this school year. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s team in Seattle have been longtime supporters of the youth program, and donated an incredible array of backpacks and learning materials. With classes being taught remotely, all of these supplies have and will continue to help students meet their learning goals.

ALT TEXT
School supplies for students attending IRC's remote summer school.
Photo: Rachel Stephens

Thanks to the generous contributions from community members and groups, 349 at-home learning kits have been delivered to students since March and the youth team will continue to deliver kits this fall as school remains remote. All of the incredible contributions by community members has helped make learning engaging and accessible for students tackling school from their kitchen tables instead of the classroom. Thank you to all who donated!