Schools send supplies to Paradise fire victims

Carson City educators, students and families have stood together for the last few weeks in efforts to benefit schools in fire-devastated areas of Northern California. All individuals involved learned lessons in kindness as well as how small efforts collectively may produce great and impactful outcomes.

Dec. 19, more than seven pallets of school supplies were sorted, boxed and shipped from Empire Elementary School. The delivery to Paradise, California was made possible with assistance of True Value Hardware in Yerington. The supplies were collected over a three-week period and gathered from all 10 schools in Carson City as well as Dayton Elementary School and Fernley High School.

“We were able to send books, crayons, pencils, science supplies, paints, markers, poster board boarders ... essentially anything you would need to reconstruct a classroom,” said Kendra Ciccarelli, second and third grade GATE (Gifted And Talented Education) coordinator at Empire Elementary School.

Similarly, as students from the Paradise Unified School District assimilate in modular classrooms in Chico, California, and other school districts throughout Northern California, some normalcy has been retained since they’ve been able to keep teachers, students and families together as a unit during the temporary relocation. However, many classrooms are lacking books to support literacy learning.

Educators, students and families from the Carson City School District have further assisted literature needs with a donation of more than 10,000 books accumulated from all elementary and middle schools in Carson City.

“My sister and former Carson High School Grad, Signe Miller, who teaches third grade at Chico Country Day Charter School, has seen an influx of students relocated to the Chico area,” said Joanna Kaiser, GATE implementation specialist for Carson City School District. “She explained to me that although they have some normalcy being enrolled in school again, many are lacking curriculum materials. So, our district has stood strong together to offer support through donations of books. We are supporting teachers and students there in fire-ravaged areas by literally bringing literacy to life.”

Additionally, teachers at Carson High School continue to raise money through a raffle auction of donated completed art pieces. The items are displayed in art cases next to the guidance office at Carson High School. Raffle tickets may be purchased from Angila Golik, who will be selling them through January. The drawing will be held Feb. 4. Raffle ticket prices are $5 each, or five for $20. All the proceeds will be donated to Paradise Unified School District.

“Because we all believe in the power of education, we thought the funds we raised would be best used by the school district for rebuilding and supplies,” Golik said.