Middle school graduates need clothes

It's a big day for eighth-graders. It's their final recognition before moving on to high school.

They dress up in their best clothes - some will spend up to $150 for a new outfit to walk through the graduation ceremony.

"Eighth-grade promotion is a big deal in their lives," said Carol McQuirk, a school counselor at Carson Middle School. "A lot of kids really like to dress up."

However, not all students can afford suitable dress for the evening.

"Some kids choose not to come to the ceremony because they don't have anything to wear," McQuirk said.

Kim Riggs of the Children in Transition program said all students deserve to participate in the ceremony.

"They should not have to feel that they're not as important as everyone else," Riggs said.

She said that for some families, buying a new dress or pair of slacks is well over the budget.

"Why would you have panty hose when you barely have pants and shoes and underwear to wear to school every day?" Riggs said. "They shouldn't be denied anything that everybody else has."

McQuirk said the schools in years past have asked the community for financial support and are asking again this year.

"If members of the community have it in their hearts to help out, we take what we can get," McQuirk said. "Carson City is wonderful in that respect."

Members of the community can buy an entire outfit for one of the graduates or can donate a gift certificate.

Gottschalks department store will help students find and coordinate clothing with the gift certificates.

Mary Bliss, school nurse at Eagle Valley Middle School, said the clothes are more than just something to wear.

"They feel left out if they don't have the proper clothing," Bliss said. "Everybody wants to feel accepted and be a part of what's going on."

You can help:

To donate clothes or gift certificates, call:

Carol McQuirk, counselor at Carson Middle School at 885-6403

Mary Bliss, school nurse at Eagle Valley Middle School at 885-6582

Kim Riggs, Children in Transition Program at 885-6294