About 300 students had the chance to pick and choose a pair of brand-new shoes of their liking and style on Thursday.
The event happened at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale.
Jasiyah Fain, a 5th grader, received help from volunteer Celeste to make sure the fit was just right, and she found the perfect pair.
“When I saw this one, I was like yeah I like these, nice shoes,” she said.
“Their confidence starts with their appearance,” said Celeste. “They are going to feel better coming to school.”
These new shoes for every student are a reality thanks to Rick Case Automotive Group and Soles4Souls, a nonprofit that provides shoes to kids in need.
“They feel more equal to their peers, and they are more excited about going to school,” said Rita Case with Rick Case Automotive.
“When we are sizing kids for an event like this, the child will be in a (size) one, but they really need a (size) three or four, so if families are stretched to make ends meet, things like shoes are not a necessity,” added Soles4Souls VP of Outreach Tiffany Turner.
The goal is to make shoes one less worry for families and remove a barrier that could keep students from showing up to school.
“When you feel good, you do well, you feel confident about learning,” said Thurgood Marshall Principal Angeline Flowers.
On Thursday, many students put their old shoes in a bag to take home, stepping proudly into new ones.
“I’m actually wearing them right now, because it matches my outfit,” said student Ezequiel Pennington.
“I just saw them and I really liked them cause they match almost everything in my closet,” said student Lenny Serran.
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