WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — From food to feminine hygiene products to school supplies, a Wilson Central High School teacher is stocking her classroom for students in need.
As Wilson County continues to see historic growth across the district, Ashley Groves said the need is also becoming greater in her classroom.
Groves, an English teacher at Wilson Central High School, has turned her classroom into a safe space for her students.
“I would have students come in and they were hungry, and they didn’t have any supplies even after reminders,” said Groves.
📧 Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts →
Groves is going on her seventh year teaching at Wilson Central High School. She said over the years she has stocked her supply closet with all the essentials. “I have seen a larger population of students who consistently don’t have what they need, and I see it affect them academically.”
She said over the years she has seen an uptick in kids coming to school hungry in the mornings. “I have seen it grow, unfortunately.”
Groves correlates some of it to the growth in Wilson County.
In November, the district said enrollment was up 2% from the previous year, giving them an all-time high of nearly 21,000 students. Some schools are even experiencing overcrowding.
The school district recently celebrated the groundbreaking of a new elementary school on Central Pike.
“I know during COVID we had free lunches and free breakfast, so I didn’t really see it as much. But I have seen it a lot over the past couple of years,” Groves said.
So now she is asking for monetary or food donations in order to make sure her students can learn on a full stomach with proper classroom material.
“Students’ needs have become more than what I could provide. So, asking for the help to continue this service for them,” Groves said.
If you are interested in donating to keep Groves’ supply closet full, click here.
