A group of 28 students representing South Salem High School’s Advancement Via Individual Determination program launched a shoe drive collecting nearly 500 pairs of shoes for local youth experiencing unstable living and housing situations.

Students joined forces with the City of Salem’s Teen Action Team Initiative and HandsOn Mid-Willamette Valley creating the One Hundred Soles project to help ensure that peers aged 11-19 years old would always have a durable pair of shoes on their soles.

Molly Edwards’ tenth-grade AVID class received a mini grant from the City of Salem to help peers in need. Students created a design and marketing team along with a shoe-tracking group and a communications team to increase the likelihood of a successful project.

The month-long shoe drive launched on May 14, but their goal of 100 shoes was met before the drive even went public! In addition, $250 in cash donations was collected for future shoe vouchers. All shoes and funds benefit the Children in Crisis Action Team agencies.

South High students plan to continue this project for the next two years in hopes it becomes a school tradition.

Story and photos submitted by Laurie Shaw, Youth Development & Prevention Coordinator at City of Salem.