Group rallies to get elementary students stocked for new school year

Deschayni Nielsen, who will be a kindergartener at St. Helens Elementary School, picks up her backpack from Carissa Hooper, left, and Hilda Schierscher, right, at the Moose Lodge in Longview on Monday. With Deschayni are, from left to right, Jesse, McKinnah and Sharaya Nielsen. McKinnah will be in fourth grade and Sharaya in fifth grade at St. Helens. Bill Wagner / The Daily News

Monday, August 18, 2008 11:57 PM PDT

By Carrie Pederson

Hilda Schierscher remembers the excitement of getting new school supplies when she was a little girl.

“It was probably Michael Jackson everything,” Schierscher said.

Schierscher wanted to spread the joy of getting new school supplies to children whose parents cannot afford them this school year, which starts in Longview on Aug. 28.

She invited her family, friends and co-workers at Moonlight Bay tanning to support a child at St. Helens Elementary School by contributing $20 to $100 for the cost of their school supplies, distributed Monday morning at the Moose Lodge in Longview.

Many went people beyond her call and paid for extra “treats,” Schierscher, 31, said Monday.

“With our economy the way it currently is, everyone feels the pressure. I am so happy it didn’t slow this amazing group of people from taking care of kids one bit,” she said.

Every year businesses, community organizations and parents donate school supplies to schools, said St. Helens Principal Mary Ann Robbins. “This (drive) is much more targeted, which is the amazing thing to me,” she said.

By finding out favorite characters and colors, Schierscher and volunteers personalized packages for each of the 49 recipients.

“I know there are many children in need,” Schierscher wrote to St. Helens teachers last year. “I am asking you to chose three to four from your classroom that you feel need some ‘hope’ most.”

Schierscher, who has a 6-year-old son who attends Columbia Valley Gardens Elementary School, said she chose St. Helens for her project because there is so much need there.

Monday morning, the St. Helens recipients were already waiting at the door of the Moose Lodge when volunteers arrived to distribute backpacks.

Pink and purple backpacks with the images Bratz, Hannah Montana and High School Musical characters brought wide-eyed “thank yous” from little girls.

“I am very happy,” said mother Beatrice Radillo, who brought four children to receive backpacks, supplies and soccer balls.

Eighty-seven percent of students at St. Helens are on free or reduced lunch assistance, Robbins said. Furthermore, the economy will make buying school supplies more difficult this year, she said.

“So many of our kids won’t have anything new,” Robbins said. “That’s one of the funnest parts of starting school.”

Around December of last year, Schierscher sent out invitations to friends and family members to participate in the Big Backpack Give.

“I must say the spirit of Oprah’s Big Give is probably what kept me going” on the idea, Schierscher said.

The word about the give spread as far as Chehalis, she said.

“This grew to something I never imagined,” Schierscher said. “I have spent many days crying joyous tears. I had no idea this would have ever expanded like this.”

Students at St. Helens are not only getting school supplies but an important lesson from the community, Robbins said.

“These kids are going out into the community. We need to model that for them,” she said.

“There are so many people in the community that go above and beyond. You never know with one act of kindness what the long-term effects will be.”