High School students help clothe the needy

VIRGINIA BEACH -- Students at Virginia Beach high schools are asking you to “Give Jeans a Chance.”

You saved up to buy them, wore them and washed them again and again, but rarely does that old pair of jeans see the light of day anymore.

If you’ve got one, two or several pairs of denim jeans that you no longer wear, each of the marketing departments at any of the Virginia Beach high schools would love to have them.

Cindy Miller, marketing department chair at Kellam High School, heard about “Give Jeans a Chance,” a campaign sponsored by the clothing line Volcom, which Coastal Edge, a local surf clothing store, is participating in.

Each of the marketing departments hopped on board and set a citywide goal of 10,000 jeans. The collection began Oct. 25 and runs through Dec. 10, when the jeans will be donated to local homeless shelters.

“We welcome any jeans in any size or color – children’s to plus sizes – as long as they are denim,” said Julia Turner, marketing teacher at Landstown High School.

The school that collects the most jeans will get to make a $500 donation to the charity of their choice. Coastal Edge will also raffle off a $200 gift certificate for one lucky student at each school. Students in Turner’s advanced fashion marketing class have been busy spreading the word.

“They created a donation box and a commercial, which played during our morning announcements, posted flyers, and told their friends, churches and other organizations,” Turner said. “Not only are the students involved, but also the teachers, faculty members and parents.”

The neatly folded jeans have begun to pile up in the school store. At last count, they have 375 pairs. Their goal is 1,000.

Khireek Elliott, Halle Nurse, Shameika Harris and Morgan Ryan, all seniors in Turner’s class, were busy collecting, sorting and counting jeans that arrived at Landstown High School recently.

Khireek dug through his closet to donate some jeans. Halle didn’t have a hard time donating the colored jeans she rarely wore anymore. Shameika said the jeans in her closet were just a waste of space if she wasn’t going to use them. And Morgan’s dad, who owns Dan Ryan’s for Men, a clothing business at Hilltop, is offering $20 off a pair of pants if people bring jeans in.

“It’s a great opportunity to give back to people who don’t have much,” Khireek said. “I just wish we could see their smiles when they see the jeans.”