Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Administrator’s Corner by Tyler Julson

At the start of the 2022-23 school year, Southwest Middle School started what is called the Tiger Den. The Tiger Den is a program where Southwest students can get school supplies, hygiene products, gently used to new clothes and even laundry services free of charge and completely anonymously. The goal is to eliminate as many barriers as we can for our students who might not want to come to school for things outside of their control, such as having school supplies or clean clothes.

In the little over two school years it has been running, the Tiger Den has given students over 7,000 items! On average, students have requested and received 1,815 hygiene products every year.

This could include, but not limited to deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Students have received 689 school supplies on average each year. This is anything from pencils to folders, to backpacks. There have been over 1,500 requests for clothing items as well since the Tiger Den’s inception.

Here at Southwest Middle School we have a little over 500 sixth and seventh graders, and over 60 percent of our students qualify for free/reduced meals. Middle school is often the time where our bodies go through puberty, and we see the changes that go along with it. We’ve seen a need to help our students with hygiene products, school supplies and even laundry services.

It’s fairly simple and straightforward for our students as well. Anytime a student needs a product from the Tiger Den, they can fill out an online form where they can check what items they are in need of. Throughout the day our office staff and social workers will get notified when a student fills out the form and will then get the product(s) for the student and have one of our staff members put the product(s) in the student’s locker.

This has been completely funded through donations from different organizations throughout our community. We have been fortunate for our community members and partners who have donated both supplies and money to this program.

We would also like to thank the individuals who have also donated supplies, sometimes anonymously. I believe schools and communities operate at their highest levels when both work together.

We are lucky to have great support from community organizations and individuals here at Southwest. If you are interested in donating feel free to contact Southwest Middle School.

Tyler Johnson is principal of Southwest Middle School.