A Student-Led Initiative Delivers Classroom Supplies to Cortez Teachers

Cortez teachers—particularly those new to the profession—regularly spend their own money to stock classrooms with the supplies students need to learn and participate. A student at Southwest Open School recognized this challenge and reached out to LOR with a solution: survey teachers across the Montezuma-Cortez School District RE-1 to identify their needs, then purchase and deliver supplies directly to schools. LOR’s funding will help Southwest Open School purchase pencils, dry erase markers, lined and graph paper, scissors, poster paper, pens, highlighters, and storage containers for 30 teachers. Working with the Public Education and Business Coalition, the student will gather teacher input, organize materials, and coordinate delivery from fall 2026 through spring 2027. The project will also lay the groundwork for an ongoing supplies drive that the school can continue after the student graduates, ensuring teachers have the classroom resources they need to support their students.