School Supply Drive supports students in need

ALGOMA – The Algoma Public Library runs an annual School Supply Drive where community members can donate new school supplies, from crayons to calculators, to help low-income students who may be unable to provide their own.

Adult Services Librarian Katie Haasch began managing the drive in 2015, though the library has held the drive for many years before. Haasch said the need for certain supplies varies year-to-year, with basic supplies like folders and notebooks always in demand, but also supplemental materials like tissues and sanitizing wipes.

“This is just one way that we, as a community, can support our local schools by donating school supplies that they need in the classroom — because if you haven’t noticed while shopping, the prices of all these materials for school, they’re going up,” Haasch said.

The Algoma School District (ASD) finds itself in need of wired headphones and earbuds in recent years so students can work on individual projects on their Chromebooks, which have become a classroom staple for middle and high school students.

Haasch said teachers often use their own funds for supplies, so community donations are crucial to support all students’ needs.

The drive caters to all grade levels, with specific needs varying by age. A complete list of required supplies for elementary schoolers — including Little Stars and Early Childhood and 4K — can be found at www.algomapubliclibrary.org/uploads/5/5/1/1/55112315/2025-2026_aes_supply_lists__1_.pdf, and a list of required supplies for middle and high school can be found at www.algomapubliclibrary.org/uploads/5/5/1/1/55112315/algoma_middle___high_school_supply_list_-_2024-25__1_.pdf.

There are some grade-specific needs like scientific calculators for middle and high schoolers, and snacks to share for Little Stars and Early Childhood and 4K.

The library also offers teacher-specific library cards for educational resources.

“The teacher card allows the teachers to be able to check out additional materials, resources, books and videos that might be used for programming purposes or research purposes for their students, especially if a kid can’t get a library card on their own,” Haasch said. “if it’s a child under the age of 16, they have to have a parent sign off on them getting a library card, and that isn’t always easy.”

The library offers all physical print for free, not just to teachers, so any student or community member is welcome to browse and check out books for free.

A Teacher Meet and Greet happens after the donation period ends, and teachers are invited to pick up supplies and speak with the librarians regarding the current supplies, future needs and the resources the library itself can offer.

Whatever isn’t picked up by teachers is brought to the school at the start of the semester, where the district is told to offer the supplies to students who still need additional supplies.

“Within a week of school starting, one of us will stop by each of the schools, and we will drop off these supplies to the office in each of the buildings and let them know that this is for them, the classrooms and the kids that are in need,” Haasch said.

Donations are accepted until August 22, with supplies distributed to schools shortly before the school year. They can be dropped off in a donation box by the library entrance.

“We have some very caring people in our community that want all of our community children to succeed in this upcoming school year,” Haasch said. Thanks to that community support, the kids of Algoma can count on having what they need to succeed.