Just in time for the back-to-school season, our Sparkle® brand teamed up with The Kids In Need Foundation® (KINF) and retail partner Dollar General® for Operation: Stock the Classroom. Sixteen million children in the US come from homes that cannot afford school supplies and for students at Glencliff Elementary, a metro-Nashville school with over 75 percent free/reduced lunch—this is all too familiar.

To help Glencliff start off a successful school year, the Sparkle^® brand and partners surprised over 700 teachers and students with school supplies to stock each classroom for the entire 2019 – 2020 school year. Pencil packs and Dollar General^® coupons for all students and teachers in attendance were also donated- and of course, plenty of Georgia-Pacific paper products to go around.

Sparkle^® Fairy “flew in” to help the event shine

“There are students who have come to school without the needed supplies to be successful in the classroom,” stated Kristine Cohn, Kids in Need Foundation Director. “We’re just trying to make the experience for the kids as good as possible, by making sure the teachers have as little to worry about as possible,” said Sparkle^® brand director Nate Smiga. As an added surprise, the event also featured the “real” Sparkle^® Fairy and Tennessee Titans linebacker, Wesley Woodyard.

Wesley Woodyard, Tennessee Titans NFL player, pumps up the crowd of 700+ students and teachers

“It’s just an amazing atmosphere to be a part of this. I’m glad that I’m at the forefront of change and of getting the school year kicked off in the right way,” Woodyard said.

The event also honored one special kindergarten teacher, Tabatha Barnes. In appreciation of her dedication to providing student opportunities at the school, she was awarded a $564 gift card to Dollar General-a symbolic amount that represents how much teachers annually spend on supplies from their own pocket.

Tabatha Barnes, Glencliff Kindergarten teacher embraces Glencliff Principal, Dr. Cynthia Hopkins

To solidify Sparkle^®‘s new three-year partnership with the Kids in Need Foundation, they’re leaving a little extra shine in classrooms across the country. Georgia-Pacific, already a longtime partner of the Kids In Need Foundation, is delighted that the Sparkle^® brand is now committed to supporting the foundation as well.

Check out the video above for some behind-the-scenes action on the #StockTheClassroom surprise event!