Financial disparities can impact a student’s ability to fully engage in school life, so CW Lewis Middle School in Blackwood has come up with a solution that focuses on equality and support from the student body: a school store that runs solely on donations.
The idea came from teacher Amy Thies.
“Initially, I started the store because students needed a new positive reason to come to school,” she explained. “We knew that our students had needs that we weren’t meeting, and wanted to do something about it.”
The store’s currency is Lewis Loot, which students earn through good behavior, academic achievements and other positive contributions to the school community. Thies emphasized the initiative’s inclusive nature: All members of the school community – from teachers to custodians – participate in distributing the “loot.”
“Every adult in the school is given Lewis Loot,” Thies said. “They can give out the loot for whatever reason they want, and how much they give out is also up to them.”
Students can shop at the school store during lunchtime, when each table is assigned a specific day to do so. The store offers a wide range of items, from essentials like hygiene products and clothing to toys, games, and school supplies.
Thies wants to be sure no student is left behind.
“I never want our students to go without,” she emphasized. “The store helps us ensure that they don’t.”
Thies’s decision to run the store without real currency reflect her concern and that of others for students who face financial insecurity. The community outside of Lewis has taken note.
“The community response has been amazing,” Thies exclaimed. “People are starting to really spread the word about the store and advocate for others to donate.”
As the school year draws to a close, the store will close and reopen in October. That’s when the community will again sustain its operation by encouraging donations and other forms of assistance.
“The more funds I receive, the more new items I am able to put in the store,” Thies said. “Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference.”
Looking ahead, Thies envisions the school store evolving, with the goal of expanding its offerings and strengthening partnerships with local organizations.
“I hope that the store continues for years to come,” she enthused. “I want it to start to transform into what a true store looks like when you walk in, so students really feel like they are in an actual store and not just the school store.”
