CAMDEN, Tenn. (Feb. 28, 2022) – Camden Central High School and Big Sandy High School are taking care of students who have clothing needs through their Clothes Closet program.
“Our Clothes Closet program originated from a desire to provide students with appropriate school clothes,” said Pamela Myrick, librarian, and RTI coordinator at Camden Central High School. “The Clothes Closet is open to Camden Central High School and Big Sandy High School students while at school.”
Myrick shared that the program focuses on three purposes. The Clothes Closet is meant to help students with general clothing needs, students who need appropriate school attire, and students needing help with special occasion clothing for graduation, prom, award banquets, and other similar formal events.
“One of our primary concerns is that all our interactions with students are discreet and confidential,” noted Myrick. “We never want a need for clothing to be a factor that limits the students in our building, and we also never want them to feel singled out because of it, either.”
The schools have developed a Google form so teachers and staff can refer students to the Clothes Closet without drawing attention.
“Our school nurse, our guidance department, and our office staff are also good references in identifying students with needs,” Myrick explained. “Sometimes students approach us because they realize they have come to school with a stain on their clothing. We are helping students stay at school and miss less class time than they would if they had to return home to change.”
Maintaining the Clothes Closet is time-consuming. Myrick partners with Sarah Comuzie and Mary Beth Combs, who teach Work-based Learning in the school. Senior teachers' assistants and the students in the Work-based Learning classes help organize and manage the project. Students assist in sorting clothes that might not be school appropriate and arranging the clothing by size.
Benton County Schools operates six schools and the Benton County Career and Technical Center. For more information about the Clothes Closet, contact Pamela Myrick, Camden Central High School librarian, at (731) 584-7254 or email pamela.myrick@bcos.org.