Students, staff and faculty will have the opportunity to reconnect with the origins of Texas State University by supporting education across Hays County with a new week-long service project.
This year’s homecoming service project is to provide supplies to schools. Student organizations, university departments, and individuals are encouraged to donate new or gently used items. Donations will go to The Teacher Reuse, 1040 TX-123 Building 3, a local nonprofit that provides free classroom supplies and materials to teachers on November 23rd.
Jason Garcia, Community Service and Volunteer Programs Coordinator, said Leadership and Service wants to create more impactful, hands-on service compared to the one-day service projects held during Homecoming Week. He said he thought so.
“For this (service project), we really wanted to bring (leadership and service) back to our Texas roots,” Garcia said. “We thought of a campaign effort to really help Texas State University start as a teacher’s college.”
Texas State University was founded on May 10, 1899 as Southwest Texas State Normal School. Its purpose was to train future teachers as Texas’ public education system increased by 200% from 1880 to 1900. It has changed names many times over the years. It reflects its size and scope in education and other subjects.
Leadership and Service searched for education nonprofits in San Marcos and found Teacher Reuse. We contacted the nonprofit organization to discuss plans for a service project.
Cheryl Gilmore, a repurposing teacher volunteer, said she moved to San Marcos last year and wanted to contact the university. The nonprofit had previously worked with the community during SMTX Gives Back and other faculty and city groups, but was excited by the call from the department.
“It’s always great when any organization wants to reach out and help, especially nonprofits that are struggling, because it takes a lot of effort,” Gilmore said. said.
During a July 30 tour of Teacher Reuse, Leadership and Services noticed that the nonprofit’s warehouse was made up of half-broken crayons and other used items and wanted to provide new supplies. I did.
“These supplies will be delivered directly by Reclaim Teachers to the teachers who come to basically shop for free and get items they need for their classrooms,” Garcia said. “So we want to give them things that are new, or things that aren’t obsolete, that have been used with care, and so on.”
Gilmore said teachers visit the nonprofit during the back-to-school season, but they come year-round to restock materials.
“(Teachers) will be coming back to restock classrooms, especially at the beginning of the school year in January,” Gilmore said.
Glory Faulkner, junior fashion merchandise and store manager intern at Teacher Reuse, believes this service project will benefit Teacher Reuse and the state of Texas.
“I think what[this service project]really does is show people to be more conscious about throwing things away and being more sustainable overall,” Faulkner said.
Garcia said the success of the supply drive will help explore how future movements and causes will move forward, regardless of their connection to Homecoming.
“Whether it’s for competition or not, we’re really hopeful that our students will actually come back for giving season, especially because that’s what Homecoming is all about,” Garcia said. “This is how we contribute to the community and we really feel like we are part of this community together.”
For more information about the Homecoming Service Project, see “Student Participation and Engagement” at https://www.txst.edu/homecoming/serviceproject.html.
