Brook Hills has had the great privilege of developing a partnership with Oliver Elementary School in Gate City over the past few years, a partnership known as “Love Oliver.”

Last year, because of your amazing generosity, we were able to provide classroom supplies, clothing needs, concession stand improvements, physical education equipment, teacher appreciation meals and gifts, student learning and attendance incentives, new robotics kits, and a donation toward two rolling science labs to encourage S.T.E.M learning and further bridge the educational gap at Oliver Elementary School.

How will this year’s offering be used? 

With a goal of $45,000 this year, the Love Oliver offering will be used in a variety of ways. First, as we have for over a decade, we will provide classroom supplies for each and every classroom at Oliver. This keeps parents from having to provide expensive supplies and teachers from having to purchase them out of their own pockets.

In addition to supplies, we will give each child a backpack and basic clothing needs such as undergarments, socks, belts, and/or shirts. Without these essentials, students are likely to feel overwhelmed or unequipped, which can bring down their drive and confidence. Having access to these supplies and clothing necessities empowers students to feel in control of their educational experience, allowing them to make the most out of it.

The teachers at Oliver Elementary School have also asked Brook Hills to create an outdoor classroom for their students. A number of studies have documented increased school performance through outdoor education, including increased standardized test scores, enhanced attitude about school, improved in-school behavior, improved attendance, and overall enhanced student achievement.

Additionally, outdoor education effectively employs a greater range of children’s intelligence. Many researchers contribute the increase in performance to increased relevance and hands-on experience of learning outdoors. It is our goal at Brook Hills to partner with the teachers and administration at Oliver Elementary School to make outdoor learning a reality for their students.

We know that because of your abundant generosity, we will raise enough to cover both the cost of the school supplies and the outdoor classroom! Any additional funds raised will go toward other school and community needs in the Love Oliver Zone.

We want every child and family at Oliver Elementary to have both the opportunity to receive an education and to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. By helping with the first, we also get the chance to help with the second.