Summerfest important for fostering healthy minds
On Tuesday, the second annual Summerfest took place in the Butler Area School District. The event was organized by the nonprofit Inspired Hearts and Hands to help fill the needs of students at Broad Street, Emily Brittain and McQuistion elementary schools.
Eagle staff reported that more than 200 families went back-to-school shopping in the gymnasium of Broad Street Elementary School, where they picked out shoes, clothing and even food for their children to prepare for the start of the school year, all free of charge.
Among several observations, Mindy Schnitgen, founder and owner of Inspired Hearts and Hands, said that students learn better when they are confident. Josh Hundertmark, who is the new principal of Emily Brittain, also said students excel when they are happy.
“Students need to be comfortable and confident, and that includes in their clothing,” Hundertmark said. “That’s part of the excitement with all the back-to-school shopping.”
We agree, and we support their efforts to give children the best opportunity to thrive in the classroom.
We live in an age where student mental health is becoming a commonplace concern.
The impact of clothing awareness can hit before the age of 10. With the amount of YouTube videos that children locate when we sometimes hand over our phones to keep them occupied, the pressure is amplified.
In-style clothing can make or break you at that tender age. This issue isn’t new, per se, but with society’s growing education, events like Summerfest are made possible.
The pandemic has hit everyone hard. We always want to give children the best of the best, but sometimes that’s not feasible. Most children are too young to know exactly why their peers have “cooler” clothes than they do.
Sometimes clothes, backpacks and shoes count more when social sets are being formed.
Summerfest gives all families a chance to level this playing field. The effort put forth for the event is commendable, to say the least.
Organizers and volunteers raised about $20,000 and gathered more than 5,000 items of donated clothing for the event and purchased about 700 pairs of shoes. These will go a long way for students and set the stage for a great year ahead.
We have a responsibility, as a community, to make sure each child has the best chance to succeed. If a new outfit or pair of shoes can boost their confidence and lead to a more productive school day, then we should be aiding Inspired Hearts and Hands however we can.
If you would like to donate to the program or have any other questions for Inspired Hearts and Hands, their contact information can be found at https://inspiredheartsandhands.com/contact/.
—CM
