Decatur Co. students collect school supplies for Harvey victims

PARSONS, Tenn. — It’s another day at Parsons Elementary School, but Amanda Pearcy’s fourth grade class is learning more than reading and math.

“They weren’t expecting it. They weren’t told to evacuate, and they lost everything,” 9-year-old Brock Smith said.

Smith is just one student collecting supplies for a Texas school devastated by Hurricane Harvey.

Everything from crayons to glue sticks will be packed up and shipped off to Northside Elementary in Cleveland, Texas.

But teachers at Parsons Elementary say this is a blessing for them, too.

“They have blessed us more than we have blessed them,” Pearcy said.

After Harvey hit, Peracy got in contact with a teacher at the Texas school.

Since then, Parsons Elementary adopted Northside Elementary.

“We realized we couldn’t help all of Texas, but we could make a large impact on one school community, so that’s the route we took,” Pearcy said.

Surrounding schools have also gotten involved, including Decatur County Middle School.

Eighth grader Macy Reddicks helped pack boxes and load them in a truck.

“Since all of us are coming together and helping, it makes me proud to be in the county I live in,” Reddicks said.

And teachers like Pearcy say this is a lesson that can’t be found in textbooks.

“It’s important to teach our students there’s more important things in life and how they need to be good citizens,” she said.

A truck and trailer were donated to get the supplies down to Texas. Parsons Elementary is taking donations until Sept. 14.