On March 13, 26 lucky students in the Windsor Unified School District took home a brand new desk to help them with their at-home learning. The desks were made by local woodworkers and were being donated free of charge to Windsor students in need. The giveaway took place at the Windsor High School loop, socially distanced for safety. Students in grades K through 12 were eligible.
The desks were a gift from the Seniors4Students (S4S) initiative, a volunteer effort in Sonoma County organized to build basic desks for kids who are distance learning but may not have a desk or a quiet place to work at home, according to the group’s GoFundMe page. They have provided desks at other districts throughout the county.
“This effort is giving seniors and others a way to support students during a pandemic that has been challenging for all age groups. Project inspiration came from similar efforts already started in other parts of the country. The local version of this effort began with a group of Oakmont residents but now includes volunteers throughout Sonoma County,” said the page, which was started by Joe Brewer.
“In conversations with local school administers and teachers they are clear that the need is great. Distance learning is hard enough for kids without the added challenge of not having a place at home to work and focus,” Brewer said in a post.
S4S not only builds desks for donation to local schools but also gathers donations of gently used chairs so that that each child is gifted a desk and chair. According to the listing, funds raised through GoFundMe go to purchasing building materials and desktop organizers. The funds may also be used to purchase chairs once they have exhausted local donations. Material cost per desk is about $35.
At the Windsor giveaway, not every desk came with a chair.
Each desk comes with a “Rainbow Paper,” a lovely note in English and Spanish explaining the origin of the desks and providing positive affirmations for students.
“We wish you success in school and we want you to know that we believe you can achieve anything you put your mind to. We hope you will still be using this desk when you start college,” reads the paper, in part.
The S4S giveaway was organized by Windsor High School science teacher Lisa Hadley-Hill. In his blog post about the Windsor giveaway, Brewer thanked her for her assistance and shared her reasons for asking for help.
“She said she was grateful that some of her students received desks. She told us about one student who got her hand stuck in a drawer trying to use a dresser as a desk and another that usually ends up outside by the chicken coop in an effort to find quiet. Although she appreciates the chickens, they are a bit of a distraction,” Brewer wrote.
To donate to S4S, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/seniors4students-building-desks-in-sonoma-county
