High school student donates 400 pairs of shoes to peers in need
STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR) - Winter break is a time to relax for most high school students. One teen is using her time off to step up her donation game, by donating hundreds of pairs of shoes for her peers in need.
While the holidays are wrapping up, Stillwater High School junior, Baylor Citizen, is wheeling in hundreds of shoes down the empty halls.
The 16-year-old is what you'd call a "sneaker head." She loves shoes.
"I'm always fortunate enough to get shoes for Christmas, but I know some students can't," said Citizen.
Her mission began three years ago.
"It all started with my god dad sending me money for Christmas," said Citizen.
She used that money to put some sole into the district's Pioneer Pantry, where students can grab clothes, products, or food, when they're in need. It's all confidential.
"We average between 20 and 25, sometimes more, a day coming in for something as simple as a stick of deodorant or a full set of clothes," said Robin Johnson, who's in charge of the pantry.
Johnson said shoes are a big need.
"Every week we see kids that come in and their soles are flapping or there's holes throughout them," said Johnson.
Citizen holds "Donation Days" when companies and Stillwater neighbors come by to drop off new shoes or money.
Citizen then takes those funds to do her favorite thing: shop for shoes.
"They're adorable. And growing up, I loved my boots," Citizen said while holding up tiny denim cowboy boots.
"I like these and my favorite color's pink," she said while pointing out toddlers' crocs.
During her freshman year, Citizen collected 40 shoes. Her sophomore year, she collected 65.
"And this year I got 400," said Citizen.
There were so many, her parents and grandparents helped bring them inside.
"Our house was a wreck," said Tiffany Citizen, Baylor's mother. "I'm happy to have my house back but so proud of her for doing this so it's worth it."
The high school pantry is the biggest in the district and acts as a "hub." It's still too small for all these shoes.
""I thought, 'Wow! Where are we going to put 400 shoes?'" said Johnson. "That's a good problem to have."
The good news is, the shoes will be spread out among all the schools in the distrct.
Citizen isn't stopping, though. She wants to leave an even bigger footprint during her senior year.
"I want to double my number," said Citizen. "800."
"She's a great example of that pioneer spirit that we have here in Stillwater," said Johnson."