Story by Ainsley Hall
MARTINSBURG — Students at Martinsburg North Middle School have teamed up with people in the community to collect and donate items for disabled veterans.
They are collecting shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, underwear, socks, razors, female hygiene items, gloves, hats, T-shirts, hairbrushes, combs and more to donate to veterans in need at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center.
Krista Kyker, an eighth-grade social studies teacher at North Middle School, started this project last year as a service project for her students. Kyker’s husband, Daniel Bryson, is a veteran and works as a therapist for other veterans at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center.
Kyker asked about some of the needs his patients have, and Bryson said that many of the veterans come to the hospital with almost nothing. Kyker decided to challenge her students to collect items to give to the veterans.
What started out as a small project with her homeroom class has grown. This year, the entire social studies department and students throughout North Middle are working together with businesses in the community to collect even more personal care items. Each location has a place to drop off donations. Some of these businesses include Mimi’s and Papa’s, Lewis Paint and Wallpaper, One Life Fitness, Depot Flowers, First United Bank and Trust, Hancock Dental and more.
Many teachers and students have gotten involved in the project, but six eighth-grade students have put a lot of time and effort into the project and gone the extra mile to make sure the veteran feels recognized.
Kemar Green, Ethan Winston and Nomar Ortega worked together to record and interview faculty and students thanking the veterans for their sacrifice, while Elly Goodwin, Severe Hatch and Kai Quevedo edited and stitched the videos together.
“Whenever I need something, I go to one of these students, and they always say, ‘Yes, what can we do to help?” Kyker said. “They are just amazing. People always have so much to say about this current generation, but they are just fabulous.”
Not only are the students collecting items to donate, but they are also making cards and posters to help encourage veterans who are struggling. These students believe that it’s important to show appreciation for the veterans and show them that people do care. They enjoyed being a part of something bigger and making a difference in their community.
“Most projects like this are driven by adults, but giving young people like us the opportunity to do this encourages us to do more in the future,” Goodwin said. “We’re more likely to volunteer and give back to others. It empowers us and lets us know that we can impact our community.”
Their goal is to collect enough supplies to fill 40 gift backs for veterans. At the end of the school year, Kyker and the students will deliver the bags to the Martinsburg VA Medical Center. To learn more, contact Martinsburg North Middle School.