In the wake of recent tornado devastation in our community, the students of Shawnee Early Childhood Center (SECC) extended a comforting hand to the children of Sulphur by collecting and delivering stuffed animals to them.
“Having experienced the trauma firsthand, our children at SECC understand the emotional toll that natural disasters can take,” said Karen Watkins, SECC principal. “Our students and staff wanted to collect stuffed animals for the pre-k and kindergarten students at Sulphur Elementary to provide them with a source of comfort during this challenging time.”
SECC and many other school sites within Shawnee Public Schools were damaged in April 2023 by a tornado. Watkins said the SECC kindergarten students especially understand what it means to have school disrupted by a natural disaster.
Each stuffed animal, carefully selected and donated by SECC students, came with a special tag bearing the hashtags #SulphurStrong and #ShawneeStrong, symbolizing the unity and resilience shared between the two communities, Watkins said.
“Giving these stuffed animals to Sulphur Elementary students is a reminder that even in the face of adversity, kindness and compassion prevail, and we can all have hope for a brighter tomorrow,” Watkins said.
Jill Allen and Marcy Reeves, counselors at SECC, had the privilege of delivering more than 150 stuffed animals to Sulphur Elementary's principal, Shannon Muck, in a display of solidarity and support.