First-graders try on new donated backpacks

October 2, 2018

SP-backpacks-1 — Thanks to AT&T, some Ridgeview students picked out new backpacks

“Everyone has a different job,” principal Heather Guerra told the students waiting in the Ridgeview Elementary School lobby for a community donation of new backpacks. “Do you know what your job is? It starts with an ‘L’.”

While a few of the excited and somewhat noisy first graders thought the answer was “Listen.” Most got it right when when they shouted back, “Learn.”

Guerra explained how everyone needs tools to do their job well. “These people are here to help us make sure that you have all the things you need to be successful here at school.”

Representatives from AT&T were on hand to distribute over 200 backpacks to Sparta district students. Some of the Ridgeview students were on hand to choose their favorite colors and styles, while others were counted out for other district locations.

- Sponsorship -

Janice Holst

Janice Holst was a reporter for SNN covering Kent City and Sparta. She has been both a teacher and a journalist. A former MLive reporter, she wrote features and covered local government and schools for Advance Newspapers for nearly two decades. She also was a recipe columnist and wrote features for Mature Life Style and occasional entertainment pieces for On The Town magazines. She lives in Sparta Township and enjoys spending some of her retirement hours writing the stories of the northern Kent County school districts.