Prosecuting attorney’s office gifts CMS Elementary recess supplies
The Garland County prosecuting attorney’s office gave students an early Christmas surprise Wednesday morning at Cutter Morning Star Elementary School, delivering an array of basketballs, footballs and other types of balls to use at recess.
Garland County Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Lawrence said the idea came from Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Colby Harber, who previously worked in education in an area where some school districts either did not have sports equipment, or needed theirs replaced.
“I organized it when I was in law school,” he said.
“I was in the sports entertainment law student society and we did this for a school in Little Rock. After graduation, it was something that I kind of made a decision that I wanted to do throughout my career, wherever I was working at.
“I know for me, sports were a big part of my life, and sometimes our stuff wasn’t good and just needed to be replaced.”
Lawrence said her office immediately got on board with the idea to collect and donate the equipment to a local school. “I thought it was a wonderful idea,” she said. “He organized it and got it all ready, and Cutter Morning Star came to mind as one of the school districts that we thought could utilize the gifts. And so they were kind enough to let us come do this today.”
Though this is the first year for the project, she said they plan to make it an annual Christmas tradition.
“In fact, I think we’re going to try to incorporate Garland County as a whole, to hopefully get more equipment so that more kids can have the choice and there can be more equipment for them to use at recess,” she said.
Visiting each classroom, kids enjoyed picking out the different types of balls they liked the best. Elementary school counselor Dawn Coffman noted the importance for kids just to have fun.
“I think it’s just really sweet,” she said. “Like whenever you see them handing them to them and being like, ‘Wow, look.’ ‘Look what this can do.’ And I think that that’s just going to showcase all that they can really do on the playground and just use their imagination and just have fun. Our kids need to have more fun.”
CMS Elementary School Principal Jennifer Almond said it was very meaningful to the school, especially
at this time of the year.
“Ms. Coffman has organized (everything) so well. We’re helping over 100 kiddos this Christmas already and several families with food bags as well. So this time of the year, just giving to the school itself, we’re just so blessed to receive those.”
While schools receive funds for different projects and activities, Almond noted that it can be surprisingly difficult sometimes to purchase the items they really need.
“Our money is tied up in a lot of academics, and it’s very structured and dedicated to certain things, so it’s difficult sometimes to purchase things like that. The donation, these kids, man, they love to get (these balls). We have a huge, perfect playground for that. So they love to get out there and compete and just have a good time during recess. So this is going to give them that opportunity to run and start to grow,” she said.
She further noted, with a smile, that some of the young students may perhaps grow up to be famous athletes.
“Hopefully we’ll have these big stars making the front page of the paper one day because of this,” she said laughing. “And actually, you know, you just never know what it’ll grow into. And so I think it’s going to mean a lot to our kids so we really appreciate that.”