Bay Area Students Donate 150 Back-to-School Kits to Gilroy

On August 16, 2024, high school students from STEMShare Inc., a Bay Area-based nonprofit, partnered with CAL-SOAP to donate 150 back-to-school kits to students in Gilroy. The drive was held at the South County CAL-SOAP office, where CAL-SOAP helped spread the word to Gilroy students. The goal was to provide students with essential supplies, so that they could prepare themselves for the upcoming school year and start the with confidence and enthusiasm.

Anav Apparaju, president of the organization, established the it to support students by providing essential educational resources and supplies. Recognizing the potential impact on Gilroy students, he organized a back-to-school drive. “The beginning of the school year is a critical time for learning and adjusting to the academic environment,” Apparaju explained. “By supplying students with necessary materials, we can help smooth their transition from summer break to the classroom.”

The drive was run by Anav Apparaju, Alex Yang, David Zhou, and Skand Nandiraju. They worked diligently over the summer to raise $1,928 and purchase 3300 items. “Everything had to be perfect. We picked out colorful but robust items, so each kit felt special to the students, and would be with them for the entire academic year,” said Apparaju. By collaborating with families and working summer jobs, the team gathered enough resources to create 150 complete kits. Each kit consisted of a 3-inch binder, ruler, and pencil.

As the school year approached, the team assembled the kits and worked with CAL-SOAP to spread the word about the giveaway. The distribution event was a success, with over 100 kits handed out in person and the remaining kits delivered to local schools. "Seeing the smiles on everyone's faces, from kindergarteners to 8th graders, when they picked out their favorite color kits, definitely made all the effort worthwhile," said Apparaju.

STEMShare Inc. is a youth-led nonprofit organization dedicated to lowering entry barriers into STEM by providing students with essential learning resources and supplies. For more information, or to contribute to future initiatives, please visit https://www.stemshare.org.