Join Subaru To Help Southern California Students By Donating Desperately Needed School Supplies
By Lori Melton
The school year is back in full swing and Southern California students desperately need your help with school supplies. Subaru America and CBS Radio teamed up for the Love, Learn & Rock campaign last month in which Subaru retailers encouraged people in the Southern California area to drop by their nearest participating Subaru retailer and donate school supplies. The event also gave parents and children a chance to enter their school into a contest to win an exclusive concert with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter-producer Charlie Puth.
Winning a prize like that is a potentially sweet payoff for the winning school, who will also receive a $10,000 donation from Subaru for the winning school's music program. With arts programs often facing heavy cuts due to a lack of financial support, this kind of prize can actually help keep arts education alive for the lucky winning school.
Parents may be shocked to know many teachers are purchasing supplies for their students with money out of their own pockets, due to ever-tightening budget constraints. A report from "Time" cites Education Market Association data which suggests teachers spent an average of $500 out-of-pocket for school supplies for their students, with one in 10 teachers spending $1,000 or more. Things like wet wipes, cleaning products, Kleenex, trash bags are often wish list classroom items teachers may request in an email or back-to-school flier mailed to incoming prospective students' parents.
Traditional items like pencils, pens, markers, highlighters, binders, spiral notebooks, loose leaf notebook paper, composition books, pocket folders, graph paper, glue sticks, scissors, rulers, Post-it notes and index cards are all common items students will use in the classroom. Consider an extensive list like this, and then multiply the total cost for one of each of these things by 30 students per class or more and you can easily see how expensive it is for teachers to keep just one classroom stocked with necessary supplies.
Overall, there are multiple intrinsic rewards associated with donating much-needed supplies. You are supporting one or more students' education, which is a critical building block toward their future. You are also relieving some financial stress for hard-working teachers who tirelessly dedicate their time and energy toward teaching students valuable knowledge and skills needed to become a successful, thriving member of society. In short, getting a proper, well-rounded education is a key component to shaping the future generation. Having the right school supplies to support that mission is a critical part of every school and every student's future success.
Visit your local Southern California Subaru retailer to learn more about the Subaru Love Promise and find out how to spread your love and support to local students via your school supply donations. Click here to learn more about the Love, Learn & Rock campaign. Every small donation makes a big difference. So, arm yourself with school supplies and visit your nearest Subaru retail facility today.
