The IUPUC Staff Council "Staying Sharp Pencil Campaign" recently donated 256 boxes of pre-sharpened pencils (3,072 pencils) to BCSC elementary schools to provide teachers who might be running low on supplies at this time of the school year with pencils for students who might need them. In addition, a large box of 500 pencils was distributed to the library at each school.

The idea arose after hearing from teachers that this time of year they are scrambling to find even the most basic supplies, like pencils, for students who need them. Knowing that teachers often use their own money to pay for supplies, Staff Council Community Outreach chairs Carol Kostrzewsky and Jayne Morris came up with the “Staying Sharp Pencil Campaign” idea. “We thought a donation of the most basic items as a pencil would be a good way to help and support hard working teachers and students,” said Kostrzewsky.

The staff council coordinated the effort with former IUPUC employee and current Executive Director of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation, Nicole Cunningham, who agreed to distribute the pencils to the schools. “I'll serve as the 'pencil fairy,” Cunningham said jokingly, adding “thank you to the IUPUC Staff Council for helping the kids stay sharp!”