Louisiana elementary school’s first need: socks

Amsterdam Elementary School students have sent five boxes filled with socks, and have just concluded a drive to collect sweaters and sweatshirts.

By: Donna Lukiw
   When the students at Amsterdam Elementary School decided to help students at a Louisiana school following Hurricane Katrina, they expected to send some school supplies.
   But the first items school officials at Baker Heights Elementary School in Baker, La., wanted weren’t pencils, paper and glue. The officials asked for socks.
   Amsterdam students sent five boxes filled with socks. They have just concluded a drive to collect sweaters and sweatshirts, and are sending three boxes full for the students.
   "We have decided to do a monthly drive depending on need for Baker Heights Elementary School," Amsterdam Principal Maryann Mullady said. "We called and asked what the immediate needs were and were told students needed socks, underwear, sweaters and sweatshirts."
   Baker Heights Elementary School — a lower elementary school with pre-kindergarten to first-grade students — located in Baker, La., just north of Baton Rouge, suffered the consequences as the hurricane swept through four months ago. The school needed help to continue educating the students.
   "Mr. Blackstone (Auten Road Intermediate School principal) originally found the school district," Ms. Mullady said. "He adopted one of the schools and told me about the dire needs of this district, so I decided that Amsterdam School would adopt one of the elementary schools. I contacted the school and found out what their most immediate need was and went from there."
   On the last Friday of every month, Amsterdam Elementary School students hold a "We care about Baker Heights Elementary School" drive where students and parents bring in certain items to be sent to Louisiana.
   "We have an ongoing coin drive which goes for shipping costs and gift certificates for underwear," Ms. Mullady said.
   Currently, the third grade is doing a holiday book collection for Baker Heights.
   "The students are very excited about helping another school," third-grade teacher Lois Moak said. "It is a community service that we do every year as part of our ‘buddy reading’ program. This year we chose to donate the books to the Baker Heights School."
   Amsterdam is expected to help Baker Heights School for the entire year.