For 10-year-old Saoul, school is a place filled with people who encourage him to learn, create and become more confident in himself.

A fourth grader with an appreciation for the teachers who support him, Saoul describes his favorite teacher, Miss Maria, simply: “She is loving, kind and amazing.”

“She helped me get smarter,” he adds. “I wanna be back in the class.”

It’s a small glimpse into the impact a supportive teacher can have on a student. But for teachers to create classrooms where students can learn, participate and explore their creativity, they also need access to the right resources.

That starts with something simple: making sure students have the school supplies they need.

School Supplies Give Teachers More Opportunities to Help Students Succeed

Pencils, notebooks, folders, markers and other classroom supplies may seem like small pieces of a student’s education. But in the hands of a great teacher, those supplies become tools for writing a story, solving a problem, completing an assignment or bringing an idea to life.

Saoul understands the possibilities that come with being able to create.

“If you let your imagination run wild, you can do some pretty creative stuff,” he says.

Access to school supplies helps make moments like those possible. When students have the tools required for an activity, teachers can spend more time engaging students in learning and less time figuring out how to work around missing resources.

Kids In Need Foundation’s Teacher Insight Survey shows how widespread that challenge remains. More than half of students begin the school year without all required supplies, according to educators surveyed by KINF. Teachers also reported that 64% of students run out of supplies by the second semester and cannot easily replace them.

For teachers, those shortages can shape what happens in the classroom. Educators told KINF that missing supplies can require them to adjust lessons, have students share materials or change activities based on what is available rather than what would create the best learning experience.

Helping Students Arrive Prepared to Learn

Kids In Need Foundation’s Supply A Student program works to help close that gap.

Through Supply A Student, students receive new backpacks filled with essential school supplies, helping them arrive at school with the tools they need to participate in the classroom. Donors and partners can support students at different levels—from a single classroom to an entire school—creating a direct connection between community support and students’ educational experiences.

The impact can extend beyond simply being prepared for the day’s assignment.

Having their own supplies can help students participate alongside their classmates, take ownership of their work and approach school with greater confidence. It also gives teachers the resources they need to build engaging learning experiences without asking students to worry about what they may be missing.

That matters because KINF’s Teacher Insight Survey consistently shows a connection between access to supplies and the student experience. More than 95% of teachers reported that access to supplies is important for student preparedness, interest in learning, class participation, confidence, self-esteem and social engagement.

Giving Teachers the Tools to Help Students Discover What’s Possible

When Saoul talks about school, the supplies themselves aren’t what he remembers.

He remembers Miss Maria.

He remembers feeling confident around the people in his life. He remembers learning. And he talks about what can happen when you’re given the opportunity to use your imagination.

That’s ultimately why access to school supplies matters.

A backpack, pencil or notebook isn’t student success on its own. But when those resources are placed in the hands of a student and paired with a teacher who knows how to encourage, challenge and inspire them, they can become tools for something much bigger.

They give teachers more opportunities to teach.

They give students more opportunities to participate.

And they give kids like Saoul more opportunities to discover just how creative, confident and capable they can be.

Because when students have the tools they need, teachers can help them focus less on what they’re missing—and more on what’s possible.

Read More Classroom Stories like Saoul’s

Join the Mission

Every day, teachers show up for their students with passion, creativity, and dedication—but too many of them are doing it without the supplies they need to create the learning environments their students deserve. No teacher should have to choose between giving their students the best education possible and paying out of pocket for basic classroom materials.