On Thursday, Aug. 19, Office Depot, in partnership with Broward Education Foundation, distributed 1,000 brand-new backpacks to students at Wilton Manors Elementary IB World School, a Title I school in the heart of Broward County. During the Start Proud® event, students received brand new backpacks filled with school supplies to help them feel confident, prepared and proud as they embark on a new school year.
Each backpack was jammed with school supplies, including notebooks, composition books, notecards, highlighters, pens, pencils, glue sticks, and also included one $20 Office Depot® OfficeMax® merchandise card for parents to purchase additional supplies for their child throughout the school year.
In addition, Marie Naizen was recognized as an “All-Star Teacher” for her extraordinary efforts in the classroom at Wilton Manors Elementary IB World School teacher and beyond. Ms. Naizen was presented with nearly $2,000 worth of premium school supplies and office furniture, courtesy of Office Depot and the company’s annual Start Proud! program.
On hand to help safely distribute the nearly 1,000 backpacks and welcome students to a productive new school year were Broward County Public Schools Board Members Sarah Leonardi and Donna Korn, Broward Education Foundation Board Chair Tim Curtin, Treasurer Dustin Jacobs, Secretary Myriam Goldman and Board Member Sue Colton; Wilton Manors Elementary IB World School Principal Melissa Holtz and Assistant Principal Dr. David Martin; Fort Lauderdale High Assistant Principal Karleen Thompson and Football Coach Martin with Flying L football players, cheerleaders and mascot along with teachers and staff and a contingent of Office Depot employees.
“We are so thankful for the continued generous support and the amazing partnership we’ve forged with Office Depot,” said Shea Ciriago, executive director of Broward Education Foundation. “It’s an honor to be able to provide students throughout Broward County with the educational supplies and learning tools necessary to help them learn and thrive.”
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About Broward Education Foundation:
The nonprofit Broward Education Foundation aligns with Broward County Public Schools by providing grants for teachers who develop innovative curriculum that increases student outcomes; vitally needed school supplies for students and teachers in Title I schools; scholarships for qualified high school seniors; and support for programs and initiatives like Debate, Scholastic Chess, TurnAround Arts, STEM and more. Each year, Broward Education Foundation contributes more than $3 million to Broward County schools, serving as the catalyst for educational excellence.
In 2018, responding to the Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy, Broward Education Foundation initiated a GoFundMe campaign, established the official Stoneman Douglas Victims’ Fund and raised $10.5M for victims’ families, survivors and those impacted. Broward Education Foundation is proven agile, adept and responsive to shifting needs in education and our community. For more information, visit browardedfoundation.org, email BEFInfo@browardschools.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
