Kids at Redway Elementary School Collected 268 Pairs of Socks in ‘Socktober!’

public interest

Thirteen of the Redway Afterschool Program’s “Socktober” sock-drive coordinators [photo submitted]

During the month of “Socktober,” with the help of every class at the school, the kids in Redway Elementary’s Afterschool Program collected 268 pairs of new socks for homeless people.

As part of what they do to have fun until their parents show up, they made and decorated collection boxes for every classroom. They made getting socks for homeless people a contest by saying the classroom that collected the most pairs of new socks in their box would win a ‘hot cocoa party.’

At the end of October, the afterschool kids collected all the socks, counted how many each class had in their sock box, sorted them by size or gender, and determined that Ms. Parkinson’s 3rd Grade Class won the hot cocoa party with 60 pairs of socks.

Young said they collected socks for men, women and kids. Socks for adults will be given out by volunteers in the homeless community and the Family Resource Center will give out the kids size socks.

She said, “I was really impressed how much kids and parents got into it because there was so much going on last month.”

“Socktober” happened because the kids in Redway Elementary School’s Afterschool Program aren’t just “hanging out.” They are getting life lessons in community building and civic leadership. Summer Young, Site-Coordinator for the program, says her goal is to “build civic leaders for the future.” Continuing, “I want kids to come out of school as adults who think, ‘This is what we do.’”

This project, and several more to come, arose from brainstorming activities centered on the theme of “giving back to the community.” Summer states emphatically, “Giving back is a vital part of building community.”

Summer is the 6th generation of her family to live in Southern Humboldt. After graduating from HSU, she moved to Portland for 20 years. She worked in the school system there as well. Young says she coordinated similar programs for an entire city school district. Along the way she and her husband adopted four kids and decided to raise them among their rural roots. Living in her family home, with her mother close by, Summer brings her experience and skills home to Humboldt to help build the next generation.

The kids like the opportunity. They brainstormed so many ideas they plan to do a project a month to benefit someone. For example, in November, they are designing and making place mats for the Veterans sponsored Thanksgiving Meal at the Mateel. And for the future, they have thoughts about a penny drive to benefit the Healy Senior Center and a pet-toy drive for the animals in the County Animal Shelter.

The Humboldt County Office of Education supports schools in Humboldt County districts having afterschool programs.  It’s website says, “[HCOE] works with seventeen local schools in ten districts supporting and promoting the development and implementation of after school programs in Humboldt County. Successful after school programs include academic support, homework help, tutoring, literacy programs, physical activity, recreation, enrichment activities, and nutritious snacks for students. Examples of enrichment activities include arts & crafts, cooking clubs, music, dance, games, gardening, and robotics.”

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Joe dirt
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Joe dirt
4 years ago

The perfect time of year to get new warm socks thanks everybody at the school for helping out with the blessing Thanksgiving coming around the corner and we are definitely coming into a colder time great idea

Z
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Z
4 years ago

WooHoo!!! Great job kids!!
You rock!!!!
Ps love that Ms Young believes the way you create leaders is by teaching them how to Give Back!

Joe
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Joe
4 years ago

AWESOME!!