More than just a pencil…

Written by Dawn Raub, assistant to car injury attorney William Mattar

I’m excited to once again be working on the William Mattar Pencils 4 Schools campaign where I’m able to interact with so many wonderful teachers. With 500,000 pencils currently being distributed, this campaign has surpassed the 1 million pencil mark in a very short amount of time. A pencil may seem like a very small and simple item but to many children, it’s so much more than just a pencil.

When it comes to school supplies, back packs and notebooks normally travel with students on a daily basis. Pencils however, are often misplaced, broken or not easy to find when they need one. I’ve been saddened to hear from teachers that many students are embarrassed they have nothing to write with, which has led to pencils being stolen from other students and even teachers. That is where the William Mattar Pencils 4 Schools campaign fills the gap, helps the kids start class ready to go, and helps foster a love of learning.

We’ve gotten some wonderful feedback from teachers, principals, and educators who have received our pencil donations for their schools. These are a few of my favorites:

“Thank you so much! Many of the students at our school could use help with school supplies. This will help many students feel less pressure about finding one of the necessary tools to be successful in class each day.” (Rochester, NY)

“Thank you for helping students be successful. A simple item, like a pencil, is critical to being a prepared and engaged student.” (Kenmore, NY)

“I am 4th grade math teacher in the city of Buffalo. Our school has a 95% poverty rate. Pencils are always something that my students need.” (Buffalo, NY)

“Many of my students come to school with no supplies and a pencil opens their pathway to learning and a brighter future.” (Queens, NY)

“We appreciate your generosity and we are grateful to participate in the Pencils 4 Schools program. Thank you for giving back to our community.” (Buffalo, NY)

“Thank you for your generosity and providing pencils for students. Last May almost every second grader did not have a sharpened usable pencil. I took out a box of your donated pencils and had my aide sharpen them. The next day the kids were not scrambling to look for a pencil, there they were…pencils in the middle cubby at their tables. Right to work, no time wasted.” (Sanborn, NY)

This is just a sampling of the teachers comments we’ve received. We run a number of community campaigns each year, but this one is special in the impact that it makes on students ready to learn and shaping their futures. So much more than just a pencil.