In a powerful display of youth leadership and community care, nearly 40 Washington High School students have established an innovative resource center to support fellow students facing economic challenges. The new facility, Cat’s Closet, celebrated its grand opening Dec. 2 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Located on the school’s first floor, Cat’s Closet provides essential items, including clothing, shoes, toiletries, personal hygiene products, school supplies, and non-perishable food. The center prioritizes student privacy through a discreet request system using the district’s HELPme app or a QR code posted on the door.
“I think a lot of kids can benefit from it,” said student Makayla Clark. “It will help a lot of people.”
“I think it can be helpful, and it’s an amazing idea that we came up with,” said student Thomas Ortiz.
The initiative emerged from a leadership class, primarily comprised of freshmen, who transformed an idle room into a community resource. The young leaders were divided into teams, with some focusing on clothing and toiletry collection while others organized school supply drives and food donations.
The project’s success stems from Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools’ use of Service Learning Projects (SLPs), which teach students to coordinate with community organizations and develop data-driven leadership skills.
“It was tough because I insisted that all decisions be data-driven,” said Linda Weeks, the Washington High teacher who guided the project. “Good leaders used data, and I wanted my students to go through the process and learn how to read pie charts, graphs, and make decisions.”
For student Megan Shaw, the achievement carries deep personal meaning:
“I’m proud of myself,” said Shaw. “I’m proud of pretty much everyone here who was a part of this project. We got a lot of things done.”
Looking ahead, the students plan to expand services by adding laundry facilities in an adjoining room. The project received crucial support from The Village Initiative Group, which donated clothing and shoes, and Cyrus Fillmore (DIY with Uncle Cy), who crafted the custom Cat’s Closet sign.
Community members interested in supporting Cat’s Closet can donate adult-sized school-appropriate clothing, school supplies, canned goods, and toiletry items by contacting the school or emailing Linda.Weeks@kckps.org.
Through Cat’s Closet, these young leaders demonstrate how student-driven initiatives can create lasting positive change within their school community, ensuring that all students have access to basic necessities with dignity and respect.
