Local elementary school benefits from Kiwanis backpack-stuffing effort

Students at Randolph Elementary School in South Arlington started the new school year with brand-new backpacks filled to the brim with important back-to-class items.

More than 450 backpacks were stuffed and organized on Aug. 23 during the 2025 Capital District Convention.

Volunteers spent several hours dropping in materials ranging from pencils and glue sticks to notebooks and Kleenex, with the final touch being an age-appropriate book for the recipients.

The goal was to have the Randolph students, from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade, prepared as Arlington Public Schools began the 2025-26 school year on Aug. 25.

In charge of the effort on the Kiwanis side was Carrie Wagner, president of the Kiwanis Club of Waynesboro, who took on the leadership role as part of the District Convention (DCON) planning committee.

“The biggest challenge was to figure out which school to do,” Wagner said.

With the convention being held in Crystal City, Wagner reached out to see if club members nearby had suggestions for schools to support.

The Kiwanis Club of South Arlington proposed the name of Randolph Elementary, having worked with the school on a number of initiatives, including a springtime science fair.

Wagner reached out to the school’s principal, Carlos Ramirez, who embraced the idea. He invited several school staff members to handle the logistics.

“Once I found the school and I connected with them, it was easy,” Wagner said.

Ramirez said the school greatly appreciated being a partner in the initiative.

“The Kiwanis Capital District’s generous donation of backpacks to Randolph Elementary has provided our students with essential school supplies while also giving them the gift of a strong and positive start to the new school year,” he said. “This act of generosity reflects a deep commitment to supporting student success and fostering a sense of readiness and confidence as they begin their learning journey.”

Ramirez added: “We extend our sincere appreciation to Carrie Wagner for her exceptional leadership in coordinating this effort and to the very many volunteers who rolled up their sleeves to stuff backpacks with school supplies and age-appropriate books make this dream come true. Carrie’s organization and collaboration with our staff ensured a smooth process and meaningful impact for our school community.”

Books came from the Green Valley Book Fair, a supplier in Mount Crawford, Va. The selected titles ranged from “Dinosaur vs. Bedtime” by Bob Shea, designed for pre-kindergarten students, to “Horrid Henry and the Soccer Fiend” by Francesca Simon, aimed at fifth-graders.

A call was put out for volunteers to help stuff the backpacks, and the response among convention-goers exceeded expectations. So much so, the entire effort was done in under two hours.

The effort was funded, in part, through a grant from the Kiwanis Children’s Fund. John Tyner, the Capital District’s liaison to the fund, said it was the type of project Kiwanis dollars aim to support.

“The need is there [and] we step up,” Tyner said at the fellowship luncheon held Aug. 23 at the convention. “Our resources, when pooled together, are greater than any one of us alone could imagine.”

Among those participating in the stuffing was Andres Tobar, president of the South Arlington Kiwanis Club. Also taking part were Kiwanis Club of Arlington president Dr. Greg Craddock and treasurer Julia Wright.

In addition to the books and back-to-school items, each backpack included a special, student-designed bookmark with contact information so Randolph students can enter next year’s competition to possibly have their own artwork included on them.

While the South Arlington Kiwanis Club does not yet have a formal K-Kids relationship with Randolph Elementary, one might be considered for the coming year.