LUBBOCK, Texas — Across various campuses, many students and teachers are getting prepped for the incoming school year. Within the preparation are the various items asked to have ahead of the first day of class.

“I’ve created an Amazon classroom wishlist so students have access to basic necessities if they need them,” said Madi Jones, an 8th grade history teacher.

Jones shared that she is starting her first semester at Terra Vista middle school, but this time last year she was getting ready to teach her class at Dunbar College Preparatory Academy.


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It was there she received her first taste of what teaching a class as an educator felt like, but there were more things she wanted to be able to provide for her kids outside of the subject of history.

“I came in kind of with that mindset of like, ‘okay, I need to provide everything for this child because what if they don’t have it?’” she said.

Notebooks or posters, a motivational mirror, prizes and candy to give away, all additional things that teachers, like Jones, don’t have to provide for children, but want to.

“A lot of these things I never will see again because kids take them or I give them to them. It’s not for us, it’s for the kids. You know, everyone talks about education and there are issues with it, but this is a way we can help,” she said.

It’s an issue that Clinton Gill, former educator and member of the Texas State Teachers Association, has seen for years.

“They need help because, the district is unable to provide very much of any funding to these teachers. That’s due to the lack of funding from the state level. Because of our legislature not fully and adequately funding public education here in the state of Texas,” said Gill.

But until changes come in the future, the wishlists, donations or simply checking in on an educator are some of the things that you can do.


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“We can’t necessarily fix teacher raises, we can’t fix the education system, but you can give back… There’s so many things that you can do that can help the education system, that can make a more positive environment for the kids, because that’s what everything should be about, is for the kids,” Jones said.

For Jones, because of the wishlist, many have donated things for her students this school year and she said that while she sent her list to many, she appreciates every person and business that took the time to respond.

“I did email Joey McGuire and he did donate. Eevie Maes, Mammies, Dr. Chavez and Dr. Brown, professors I had at Texas Tech, it’s been really cool to see the people of Lubbock that do want to give back, you know, it’s so sweet. Like I love it,” she said.

Jones also highly encouraged that any donation or acknowledgement to her or any other teacher this semester can make a huge difference in their classroom. You can find her wishlist here.