Students, staff and faculty have the opportunity to reconnect with Texas State University’s origins by helping education across Hays County with a new week-long service project.
This year’s Homecoming Service Project is a school supply drive. Student organizations, university departments and individuals are encouraged to donate new or gently used supplies. Donations will go to The Teacher Reuse, a local nonprofit at 1040 TX-123 Building 3 that makes available classroom supplies and materials for teachers at no cost, Nov. 23.
Jason Garcia, coordinator for Community Service and Volunteer Programs, said Leadership and Service wanted to create a hands-on service with more impact, compared to the one-day service projects held throughout Homecoming week.
“For this [service project], [Leadership and Service] really wanted to bring it back to the roots of Texas State,” Garcia said. “We thought about a campaign drive to really support Texas State’s beginnings as a teacher’s college.”
Texas State was established as Southwest Texas State Normal School on May 10, 1899. Its purpose was to train future teachers due to a 200% increase of Texas’ public education system between 1880 and 1900. It changed its name multiple times over the years to reflect its size and scope in education and other subjects.
Leadership and Service searched for education nonprofits in San Marcos and found Teacher Reuse. It contacted the nonprofit and discussed plans for the service project with it.
Cheryl Gillmore, Teacher Reuse volunteer, said she wanted to contact the university since she moved to San Marcos last year. The nonprofit previously worked with the community during SMTX Gives Back and other professors and city groups but was excited to get the call from the department.
“Anytime any group reaches out and wants to help you, especially when you’re a struggling nonprofit, that’s exciting because it takes a lot of effort,” Gillmore said.
When touring Teacher Reuse on July 30, Leadership and Service noticed the nonprofit’s storage consisted of half-broken crayons and other used items and wanted to give it new supplies.
“These supplies go straight from Teacher Reuse to teachers who come to essentially shop for free and get supplies for the classroom,” Garcia said. “So, we just want to provide them new or gently used items that are not outdated and stuff like that.”
Gillmore said while teachers visit the nonprofit during the back-to-school season, they come throughout the year to replenish their materials.
“[Teachers], especially at the beginning of the new semester, come January, they will be coming back to replenish their classroom supplies,” Gillmore said.
Glorie Faulkner, fashion merchandise junior and store manager intern at Teacher Reuse, believes the service project will benefit Teacher Reuse and Texas State.
“I feel like what [the service project] will really do is show people to be more mindful about throwing things away and being more sustainable overall,” Faulkner said.
Garcia said the supply drive’s success will help explore how future drives and causes will go, regardless of its relation to Homecoming.
“I’m very hopeful that students really do turn out, whether it’s for competition or not, just to really go back into the season of giving, especially because that’s what Homecoming’s all about,” Garcia said. “It’s how we give back to our community and really feel like we’re a part of this together.”
For more information about the Homecoming Service Project, visit Student Involvement and Engagement at https://www.txst.edu/homecoming/serviceproject.html.
