About 90 students from across Oakland Unified School District are well prepared for the first day of classes after a special morning in Emeryville.

The students, who came from elementary, middle and high schools, got a $100 shopping spree for school supplies at Target on July 26.

The students picked up backpacks, pens, pencils, notebooks and a variety of other items that have them ready to learn as soon as school begins on August 21.

“It means a lot because a lot of schools don’t get to do this,” said Josilhlyn Clark, an incoming sixth grader at Roosevelt Middle School. Roosevelt was one of 11 schools with students who were given the shopping sprees.

Josilhlyn’s mother was pleased when she received a phone call from school inviting them to the event.

“This is one less thing that we have to worry about. School supplies are taken care of and we will miss the last minute rush,” said mother Billie Hix, who is herself a school teacher and every year buys supplies for her class with her own money.

“It’s hard to teach when your kids don’t have what they need,” she said.

Harvey Fong is an incoming 3rd grader at Lincoln Elementary who was especially excited about his new backpack. “It’s great,” he said. Harvey’s mother Jan is thrilled with the program. “I feel lucky. He’s so excited. He said, ‘I can’t wait to go shopping!’”

The students with the shopping sprees came from Oakland High, Oakland Tech, Castlemont High, Street Academy, Roosevelt Middle, Edna Brewer Middle, Claremont Middle, Greenleaf TK-8, Lincoln Elementary, Hoover Elementary and Parker Elementary schools.

The shopping sprees were sponsored by the Oakland Public Education Fund with help from Oakland Unified School District and Target.

Everyone on hand left the store with a big smile on their face, including little Callie, who is a future OUSD student and the sister of current Roosevelt student, Josilhlyn Clark.

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