Athens 'Corner Collection' Lets Students Shop or Drop

ATHENS CORNER COLLECTION IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR DONATIONS,

AND LETS STUDENTS “DROP OR SHOP”

On any given Friday at lunchtime at Athens High School, you can find students browsing the racks at the “Corner Collection,” to see what new items have come in, or to drop off items to donate. “We call our school store ‘The Corner Collection,’ a play on words with the Somerset Collection,” said teacher Dawn Hayes.

It started as a simple idea to help students in need. Three years ago, Hayes recognized a real need in the Athens student community for items of basic necessity like school clothes, to help students and families who may be struggling financially. But how to reach them? “I came up with the concept of the Corner Collection, and branded it as a ‘recycling store,’ where kids (and community members) can donate gently used items, everything from home décor to clothing and sports gear to specialty items like prom dresses,” continued Hayes. So there was no stigma attached to ‘shopping,’ the store is open to any student in the building, and every item is free. “Maybe you’re in here looking for something, maybe you are dropping something off. I like to say ‘Some days you shop, some days you drop.’ Our students have been very respectful.”

Hayes calls it ‘retail therapy,’ and has made the store cozy and inviting. The only thing Hayes asks of each student is to fill out a “shopper feedback form,” which lets her know how her ‘customers’ are doing, and has space for them to call out a fellow student or teacher who have done something special in their lives, paying the positivity forward. “I look forward to Fridays, it’s always fun to see what new things are in the store,” said one student. “I feel what you’re doing is a great help, not just for the kids who need it, but for all students. Thank you for setting up this store, and for teaching us to be gracious and positive,” said another student. Athens staff members pitch in to help make sure the store is running smoothly, volunteering their own lunch hours to manage the inventory and keep the store neat, and also take time to greet, visit and make connections with students that would not necessarily happen in the classroom.

And Hayes is constantly on the lookout for donations, which can be dropped off at Athens at any time. “A friend of mine was at a salon getting her hair done, and overheard a bridal store owner talking about liquidating his inventory…she reached out to this stranger, made the ask, and that resulted in over 200 brand new dresses with the tags still on!” With Athens’ Prom just around the ‘corner’ on May 12, the Corner Collection is gratefully accepting new or gently used formalwear, dresses, suits, shoes and accessories.

“It is so satisfying to help these great kids make their dreams come true,” concluded Hayes, who gets her inspiration from the memory of the generosity of her own mother—whose black and white photo is proudly displayed in the shop. For more information, or to make a donation to the Corner Collection, contact Dawn Hayes via email at DHayes@troy.k12.mi.us, directly by phone at 248-823-3046, or at Athens’ general number 248-823-2900. Athens High School is located at 4333 John R Rd, in Troy.

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Photos:

1332: Shoppers browsing the racks with Ms. Hayes

1337: 9th grader Lana Yassine and 11th grader Mikayla Specci (L to R) browse through the racks

1340, 1341: Prom gowns

1344, 1346: Students check out the rainbow of prom gowns, L to R: Ashleye Weinberg (10), Jillian (no last name pls) (10), and Gina Lester (11)

1352: Dawn Hayes sorting the “Feedback forms.”

1357: Dawn, posing by a black and white photo of her mother (above), whom she says is her inspiration for helping others.