JACKSON, Tenn. — Dec. 14, 2016 — 51社区 students, in partnership with a Memphis-area apparel company, donated 417 school spirit T-shirts to students at Denmark Elementary School outside Jackson Wednesday morning.
Over the past couple of years, Union organizations like the Student Government Association, Residence Life, Student Activities Council and others have ordered T-shirts for their groups from Agape North, which then donates apparel to local schools in need.
Union students have purchased more than 500 T-shirts from Agape North, thus providing the T-shirts to Denmark 鈥� one for each child enrolled.
鈥淧eople-focused is one of our core values at Union, and that鈥檚 what we had in mind 鈥� to think of ways that we could help the people of our community and help others,鈥� said Binh Morris, a Union sophomore from Cleveland, Tennessee. 鈥淏eing willing to pay a little extra money to give T-shirts to students is such a cool opportunity.鈥�
In addition to the T-shirt donation, four Union students answered questions about college during an assembly with the Denmark student body. The blue and yellow T-shirts displaying Denmark鈥檚 school colors and a large lion mascot were imprinted with the words 鈥淒enmark Elementary Students are college-bound.鈥�
Kimberly Quinn, principal at Denmark Elementary, said the donation was a meaningful one for her school.
鈥淚t鈥檚 more than a shirt. We actually want our students to be college and career ready,鈥� Quinn said. 鈥淭his was just something to actually bring Union staff and students to our building so students can see what they should be aspiring to do.鈥�
Jason Castles, Union鈥檚 assistant dean of students and director of student leadership and engagement, said Union students initiated the partnership with Agape North as a means of serving others.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity for them to be intentional about their purchases and where their money is going,鈥� Castles said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 indicative of their desire to serve and to be good stewards of the money that God has given them. They want to do something in return.鈥�
Earlier this year, Agape North donated its 50,000th school uniform since the company launched about five years ago.