Skylar Webb, Gilpin County. Originally a Facebook page created by Ardetta Robertson, Adopt-A-Teacher is a new program Gilpin schools has picked up, with the primary goal of getting teachers the school supplies they need for a great school year. 

Budgets for teachers have been declining due to the pandemic, so with the lack of funding, Adopt-A-Teacher is a great way to assist the learning environment. The Facebook page has a place for teachers to set up an Amazon wish list consisting of all the school supplies they want, to which community members can “adopt” the teacher and buy some or all of the wishlist.

Multiple parents can sign up to help one teacher, ensuring their whole wishlist is bought. The teachers’ wish-lists vary, for example, gym teachers may ask for water bottles or sport accessories, whereas a history teacher might ask for a map.  

Some of the things bought so far include a lot of office supplies, microwaves for the cafeterias, pop up tents which will allow students to learn outside, extra masks and books. Volunteers are in the process of collecting 48 TV trays for the elementary students to use while eating lunch. 

The Adopt-A-Teacher program has been found to be very helpful for a lot of teachers who are lacking the supplies they needed to teach their students with, making it a perfect solution for the decrease of school supplies funding at Gilpin. 

Anyone who wants to help can join Gilpin County Adopt-A-Teacher on Facebook, or contact Ardetta Robertson at 303-601-0562 or ardetta@gmail.com.

(Originally published in the October 15, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)