Maize students build pantry to help others in need

When Abraham Maslow first proposed his Hierarchy of Needs theory more than seven decades ago, he may not have envisioned how it could one day work at a Kansas high school.

But students at Maize High School know.

They’ve created Maslow’s Closet – a pantry that supplies food, clothing, school and personal hygiene items for students and families in need.

Maslow’s ladder of needs starts with the most basic of needs and motivations – biological and physiological needs, such as air, food, water and warmth; followed by safety needs of relationships, achievement and self-actualization.

His theory is that once people have met the most basic of their needs, they can go on to help others.

“People here assume we are a wealthy district, but I have kids every day that got kicked out overnight or their electricity has been shut off,” said Elizabeth Graber, English teacher at Maize High School.

Graber, along with fellow English teacher Sherry Pfeifer, helped organize the pantry.

Students involved in the school’s peer program helped turn the school’s vacant police station into the pantry – painting, cleaning and sprucing up the building, then donating items to fill the shelves. The peer program is an organization of older students helping younger ones.

“I got the idea from a friend of mine who is the coordinator for the hygiene pantry at the United Methodist Open Door in Wichita,” Graber said. “I saw her operation and thought about my students.”

The students began working on the pantry in January and held an open house earlier this month before school ended.

It will be closed through the summer and reopen on Aug. 10. Students in need can then fill out an application for items.

“Students who maybe haven’t been able to shower or eat can grab hygiene items such as deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste,” Graber said. “Also, we have some students who care for younger siblings. So we have made food available if they need to take it home, as well.”

More than 45 students signed up for peer helpers, said Betsy Manning, who teaches math and who next year will transition into counseling.

“Those students were a lot of help,” she said.

Megan Paul, a sophomore, said she became involved with the peer helper program at the end of her freshman year at Maize High School.

“I really liked everything we did,” Paul said. “I was excited when we decided to do more.”

Alyssa Pappan, also a sophomore, brought gently used clothing from home along with other donations, such as painting supplies to help decorate the pantry.

“You never know when people are struggling and need stuff,” Pappan said.

The pantry doesn’t have any need for more clothing right now, said Lori O’Toole Buselt, director of communications at Maize USD 266. But if people would like to donate school supplies and food over the summer, they can take them to the school’s Educational Support Center at 905 W. Academy Ave. in Maize.

This story was originally published May 30, 2016 at 4:46 PM with the headline "Maize students build pantry to help others in need."