LEXINGTON — The gym at Lexington High School roared with thunderous applause and screams of delight. Varsity cheerleaders ruffled gleaming poms poms and led the student body in cheers.
“L-E-X! L-E-X!”
The end-of-the-week assembly wasn’t a typical pep rally. Students in grades PreK through 12 filed into the gym for a special surprise.
Representatives from School Specialty and Spherion Mid Ohio presented Lexington Local Schools with $20,000 worth of school supplies.
School Specialty associate Susan Barr selected products for the district, ensuring there would be items for every grade level as well as art, gym and special needs classrooms.
“I don’t think that teachers get the recognition they deserve for all the roles they play in our childrens’ lives, so I’m super excited to be able to help these teachers,” Barr said.
“There’s a lot of educators in my family and people don’t realize the out of pocket expenses.”
Michael Harris, director of fulfillment for School Specialty’s Mansfield location, said Lexington was randomly selected from 16 school districts in Richland, Ashland, Knox and Crawford counties.
School districts were entered into the drawing based on participation in School Specialty’s summer workforce. Each district got one entry per 2023 summer employee.
Harris said the local fulfillment center typically hires between 100 and 150 students during peak season, which happens to coincide with summer break.
“The student workforce is a huge component of our success,” he said. “If we did not have students in the summertime, we wouldn’t be able to push out the amount of school supplies we do.”
For the past few years, School Specialty has partnered with Spherion Mid Ohio to find seasonal help. The two companies launched the annual school supply giveaway last year.
Supt. Jeremy Secrist said the donation will help offset expenses typically covered by building budgets and the district’s general expenses fund.
“We’re certainly appreciative of both Spherion and School Speciality for the opportunity to win this, but the biggest thanks needs to go to our 13 students who work there,” Secrist said.
“Kathy Weidig, who is our college and career coordinator, has worked very hard the last few years to continue to impress upon our kids employability skills. School Specialty has always been a really good partner and has given our kids opportunities to work out there and practice those employability skills.”
Spherion Mid Ohio’s marketing coordinator Jessica Hiser agreed.
“(School Speciality) is an amazing facility for students’ first job and summer job,” she said.
“They often get students starting around 16 and they stay with them as they finish high school and go into college as it is such a great summer gig and they pay really well too.”