Clark-Shaw Magnet Middle School

By: Eletha B. Harris

The Junior League of Mobile (JLM) is committed to addressing hunger, nutrition, and fitness for schoolaged children in Mobile County. According to the USDA, more than thirty-four million people, including 9 million children, in the United States are food insecure, and the Save the Children 2021 Childhood Report ranks Mobile County 51st for child hunger in the State of Alabama.

JLM’s current Adopt-A-School program was born 4 years ago to improve Mobile and Baldwin Counties through our focus on Healthy Children: Hunger, Nutrition, and Fitness. What originally began as a backpack program in three area schools developed into a program that provides a bigger impact than food insecurity–it also provides other necessary items, such as clothing, hygiene items, and school supplies. The Adopt-A-School program has successfully finished a threeyear engagement with George Hall Elementary, our first partner school.

Throughout JLM’s 3-year tenure with George Hall Elementary, the children were not only provided backpacks with food and school supplies, but also touch-less water bottle refill stations, art supply kits, and books. JLM also stocked a snack and school supply pantry, uniform closet, provided for fitness and P.E. equipment, and volunteered our time on a playground workday.

In 2022, our Community Council opened applications for the next Adopt-A-School to include the consideration of middle schools in Mobile and Baldwin Counties, as they are often underserved in comparison to elementary and high schools. We received numerous outstanding applications, and the needs were great. After an extensive interview and application process, Clark-Shaw Magnet Middle School was chosen as the new Adopt-A-School recipient through the 2022-2025 school year. (Fortunately, we are also able to provide monetary donations to the two runner-up schools, who were presented with checks at Christmas Jubilee.)

Since August, JLM has been hard at work stocking a pantry that is filled with snack items, new and gently used uniforms, school supplies (such as pencils, pens, pencil pouches, and notebooks), and hygiene supplies. They have even been able to provide other items, such as brand-new socks and underwear. The teachers worked with the PTA to create a request form that parents and teachers can use to discreetly request items for a student in need through a link on the school’s web page for easy access. Supplies identified through this system are packed and waiting for the student during dismissal.

Timesha Taylor-Jackson, Clark-Shaw Magnet Middle School principal, reported several boxes of supplies have been sent home with students through the program. Another student is now able to attend school during her menstrual cycle because she has the necessary hygiene supplies available to her. According to Danielle Zirlott, the Adopt-A-School Chair, a lack of feminine hygiene supplies is a common occurrence in our local schools.

JLM has also provided a brand new washer and dryer, along with ample laundry detergent, so that the teachers and students can wash school uniforms for children who do not have access to clean laundry at home.

Lastly, JLM has not only purchased two refillable water bottle stations, but has also provided every student and faculty member in the school with a refillable water bottle. The water stations replaced the water fountains, which were removed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This ensures that athletes are able to complete practices with an adequate supply of water and that all students have access to clean drinking water during the day

Principal Taylor-Jackson feels extremely grateful to be the recipient of Junior League of Mobile’s Adopt-A-School Program for 2022-2025. She has stated many times, “The magnet schools often appear to be some of the best funded programs in the district; however, we are not. Our students are residents from all over Mobile County; thus, they come to us with various needs. The Adopt-A-School program helps us assist those students with personal needs such as snacks, socks, hygiene and grooming items.” She went on to share, “There are so many positive outcomes already shining through since we started this program with JLM’s full support.”

JLM is enthused about the many ways they can help the staff and students of Clark-Shaw Middle School and hopes that the impact goes beyond funding their basic needs. For example, Zirlott and a group of JLM members attended an all-girls STEM class to hear their ideas for bettering their school. The students developed their own project ideas that align with JLM’s mission of healthy children, such as feminine hygiene stations and an outdoor garden. JLM will work with the students and teachers to help put their plans into place. JLM members that work in the STEM field will also speak with the class about their careers, encouraging these future leaders to apply their knowledge and skills in STEM!

The JLM membership is extremely excited and committed to helping the students and staff. We would like for the students to see our members as a vested partner whose membership genuinely cares for their health and welfare and will continue to provide the needed resources and items necessary to improve their learning experience.