"It was like Christmas morning," says teacher Kate Ayers, of the day World Vision arrived at Seattle's Concord Elementary. "The kids knew something big was happening."

Something big was happening. Every student at Concord was getting a brand-new backpack filled with SchoolTools kits to start the year. Waiting in the cafeteria were World Vision staff and volunteers — the tables in front of them piled high.

"The backpacks were stuffed," says Keith Neroutsos of World Vision. "The kindergarteners could barely hold the weight as we put them on their backs and showed them how to tighten the straps. The kids were adorable — fresh, joyful, and fidgety." And now, equipped to learn.

Meeting Real Needs
Like the other teachers at Concord, Kate Ayers usually buys school items for her fifth-grade students. "When I send parents the school-supplies lists every September," she says, "I always make sure it's less than $5 worth. But I only get three or four kids who are able to bring those in.

"I scrounge everywhere I can," she adds. "I'm sure I spend $500 to $600 of my own money each year. We have a classroom budget for supplies of $250 a year. That's spent before Sept. 1."

Thanks to the generosity of the SchoolTools participants, teachers like Kate are able to meet the needs of children in the United States.

Click here to discover How You Can Help give the gift of education to children in the United States.