KRGV.com

WESLACO - All week, Valley residents have dropped off donations in Weslaco for Teach The Children, a nonprofit that provides school supplies to students in need.

The need is great, and Dina Escamilla, the Lyford Elementary School principal, knows that. She's seen it all during her 20 years in a classroom.

"As the state changes all these funding requirements for school districts, there are many cuts. Now we're putting a bigger burden on the parents," she said.

"With Teach The Children, every first-grader gets a box full of supplies."

Theses supplies are possible thanks to our generous community.

South Texas College student David Rubio said, "At STC, we're participating in bringing out a bunch of school supplies, and we hope everybody else continues to participate. The more, the merrier!"

Rubio was one of dozens of STC EMT students who stopped by the KRGV Weslaco studio with an ambulance full of supplies.

"We're in a profession that requires you to have a good and decent heart, to where you're ready to help your fellow man. Essentially we're here to help children," said student Cynthia Salazar.

Rosa and Charles Clark also joined in the giving. Rosa Clark said they were inspired by an earlier story about a teacher who helped her students with supplies and jackets.

"We talked about it. ‘Hey, we gotta do something for this teacher.' So we came out today and bought some backpacks, everything we could crayons, markers, ring binders... And we brought some coats, because she said kids were cold, so we brought some coats also," said Rosa Clark.

KRGV also received a donation with a very special letter from Jack Crabtree. The 82-year-old wrote that he grew up during the Great Depression and knew what it was like not to have school supplies. He explained he didn't have much, but the children needed the money more than he did. He donated $100.

The donation drive continues Friday and the Teach The Children telethon is scheduled for Saturday. Visit the Teach The Children page for more information.