Pupils with their school bags
PHILIPSBURG--The RISE Foundation has expanded its annual Back-to-School Support Project, providing uniforms, backpacks, school supplies and shoes to students at schools and organisations across St. Maarten. For its 2026 campaign, the foundation initially set a goal of supporting 100 students with uniform vouchers, backpacks and shoe assistance. Through contributions from the community and partnerships with schools and organisations, the initiative ultimately reached well beyond that target.RISE provided 100 uniform vouchers valued at $150 each to students at Marie Genevieve De Weever Primary School, Leonald Conner Primary School, Oranje School and Ruby Denise Labega Primary School. Each school received 25 vouchers. The project also provided 76 backpacks through its core school allocation and shoe assistance to 62 students. An additional 11 students received uniform assistance outside the four-school allocation.
The decision to include shoe assistance this year followed feedback collected from educators before the campaign began. RISE surveyed teachers and school staff about the areas in which students needed the most support, with uniforms, backpacks and school supplies, and shoes identified as the top priorities.
The foundation said the feedback led to the expansion of the programme to help families cover the cost of quality black school shoes, which can represent another significant back-to-school expense. Support was also extended to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Primary School, Prins Willem Alexander School, A.C.E. Foundation and 721 Kids Foundation.
The project was supported by various organisations
Through additional donations and in-kind contributions, RISE distributed more than 60 backpacks, 200 drawstring bags, more than 200 pencil cases filled with school supplies, more than 200 reusable water bottles and other school essentials. More than 300 additional students benefited from this broader distribution. The foundation said the students receiving support were not necessarily the same students across each category. Some received assistance with uniforms, backpacks and shoes, while others received only the items identified by their schools as being most needed.
Schools played a role in identifying students and determining where resources could have the greatest impact, allowing the foundation to distribute available assistance based on the needs of individual families.
In addition to student support, RISE distributed nine boxes of teacher and classroom supplies. Each of the four core partner schools received two boxes, while an additional box was provided to the 721 Kids Foundation.
The 2026 campaign represents an expansion from the foundation’s first back-to-school project in 2025. RISE initially aimed to assist 50 students that year but ultimately reached 60. This year, the foundation doubled its target to 100 students and again surpassed its original goal.
RISE Foundation President Chiaira Bowers attributed the expansion to support from individuals, businesses and organisations across the island.
“On behalf of the RISE team, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to every individual, business and organisation that donated, contributed in kind, volunteered, shared the campaign or helped spread the word,” Bowers said. “The only way we were able to reach our goal, and exceed it in a few areas, was because the community came through.”
She said the assistance was intended not only to provide school supplies, but also to ease some of the financial pressure on families at the start of the school year. “For us, what that support means is that more children can walk into school feeling prepared, happy to be there and like they belong, while families can begin the school year with a little more relief,” Bowers said.
The foundation said the Back-to-School Support Project was made possible through financial contributions, donated school supplies and other in-kind support, public collection drives, volunteers and cooperation from participating schools. RISE said it plans to continue building on the project as it works to respond to practical needs identified by educators and families across St. Maarten.
