Ron Carter, our Inner City Division Director, recently reported some happy news for some students on our program at Swansboro Elementary School in Richmond, Virginia.
Swansboro is a uniform school. Every child is required to wear navy blue or khaki pants or skirts, with white or dark blue shirts. The cost of these uniforms can be a burden on some Swansboro families. Children, Incorporated supported kids will each receive two or three of the shirts, depending on the level of their need.
Ron tells us that within uniform wearing schools like Swansboro, kids "really do want to have the required school attire." He goes on to say "Not having these things really makes them stand out (in a not so good way). That they are provided with these shirts, which they might otherwise be unable to afford, is a very good thing. It helps the kids to fit in and look like their peers."
Uniform schools often experience fewer problems than other schools. Uniforms help to minimize school issues such as fights over label-brand clothing, jealousy and envy among the students. Having uniforms serves as an equalizer in the school community. Students expereince less discrimination based on their poverty level or level of weath. So not only will the uniforms provided help families avoid the costs, but they will also help the students to feel more comfortable in their school environment.
Swansboro's principal, Mrs. Mary Pierce (pictured below) has been a strong advocate of Children, Incorporated. We want to thank her for her constant support of our programs and their involvement in her school. Mrs. Pierce was kind enough to pose with the uniforms, while our wonderful and hard-working coordinator, Cheryl Johnson, was camera shy and refused to model the shirts for Ron!
Mary Pierce, Principal at Swansboro Elementary, models the new shirts that all CI kids will receive as a result of their subsidy and participation in CI.
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