Wyoming Elementary Students are allowed to shop for family and friends at a store within the school where prices are kept very low to accommodate a kid-friendly budget.
Shopping for deals and discounts is a great way to save money, but for a group of Wyoming Elementary parents, saving a buck translates to making students’ holidays a little bit brighter.
“We have a group of parents that shops all year long for stuff that’s 80 and 90 percent off the sticker price,” Wyoming Elementary Principal Curtis Slater said. “We store all of the items in a storage unit, and when Christmas comes along, the parents open up our Holiday Shop.”
The store within the school provides students a chance to shop for high-quality items for their loved ones with a price tag that fits their budget. Items range from 25 cents to $1 or $2. Students are sent home with a sheet to record clothing sizes and wish lists from their families before the shopping day.
“You would think that with these prices, the items might not be so great, but the opposite is true,” Slater said. “These are really nice, high-quality gifts for every gender and age. There are even gifts for pets. One of the hardest things is reminding the kids that they are shopping for their family members and not themselves.”
Parents volunteer to run the store throughout the school day and each class is allowed approximately 20 minutes to shop. There are opportunities for kids to receive help if they want to shop but are unable to afford it.
“It is very important to us to make sure that every kid who wants to be a part of this is allowed to be,” Slater said. “Times are tough for a lot of people and we do receive phone calls from parents saying they can’t afford to send money with their student. We always make sure there is enough to go around.”
The Holiday Shop is one of a number of ongoing efforts within the school to promote what is known as “The Wyoming Way.” It is an effort by school officials to promote positivity and encourage students to let others know how much they are appreciated.
“Personally, I live my life according to the Wyoming Way, and I feel like it is important to send that message to students,” Slater said. “For me, the giving is the best part of the holidays.”