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westvalleyview.com | July 18, 2018
Treasures 4 Teachers moves into Goodyear Ballpark By Katherine Decker
GUNNING .......... 2 LESD continues successes
RUNYAN ............. 3 Canyon View coming soon
MORRIS .............. 6 New Union Elementary supt.
When Barbara Blalock visited a second-grade classroom in the early 2000s, she saw something that troubled her: a student trading a shoe for a pencil. The teacher explained that she did not have enough pencils and by using this method, she knew the students would return pencils. That inspired her to start the nonprofit Treasures 4 Teachers, which is hosting a pop-up shop at Goodyear Ballpark that offers school material, resources and training for Arizona educators. Founded in 2004, the “creative reuse center” works with community businesses, nonprofit agencies and individuals to collect new and reusable resources for teachers. “Teaching is the one profession that teaches all others,” Blalock said. “Where would we be if we didn’t have a teacher to educate and inspire us?” The organization grew from a two-car garage to a 12,000-square-foot warehouse full of resources in Tempe. “Treasures 4 Teachers has always been available to educators all over the state, but we often hear that many cannot access the supplies they need because of the long commute” Blalock said. The city of Goodyear has offered a 2,000-square-foot retail space at the Goodyear Ballpark Team Shop, 1933 Ballpark Way, through August 1 for the pop-up resource center. “As mayor of Goodyear, I am proud to
Treasures 4 Teachers Executive Director Barbara Blalock and T4T Pop Up Shop Manager Andrea Ellingboe support teachers with low-cost and free supplies for their classrooms. (Photo courtesy Treasures 4 Teachers)
support our teachers and provide them with the resources they need,” Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord said. “We’ve partnered with the local schools on programs like Building Blocks and school safety. This is just another way the city can lend a hand to help these individuals who are committed to teaching our children.” Law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP, a longtime supporter of T4T, donated the membership fee for the first 500 teachers who visited the shop with proof of educator status. The membership allows
teachers unlimited shopping. The cost to enter is $10. The fee may also be applied toward the purchase of a full annual membership, which is normally $35, at T4T. The organization hopes to open a permanent West Valley spot soon. “At T4T, we want people to understand we all take a part in making sure our students are educated,” said Andrea Ellingboe, T4T director. “We are a community coming together to support students. Everyone knows what’s available and nobody has to scavenge for a pencil.”