Durant, Oklahoma – A new student‑driven effort at Durant High School is providing essential items to children in out‑of‑home care. Project Blossom, founded by teacher LeaAnn Wyrick, began in the spring when Future Farmers of America (FFA) members gathered travel‑size toiletries for local youth shelters.
Expanding the drive
Since its modest start, the initiative has grown to include multiple student groups. Participants now collect clothing, diapers and school supplies, all of which are delivered to a youth shelter and a foster‑care agency during transition periods. “A lot of times they’re emergency placed and it’s on the spur of the moment. So as long as they’re in custody, whether it be a day or maybe even a week up to times, they need supplies. They need basic needs met,” Wyrick explained.
Personal motivation
Wyrick’s own experience in foster care—from age three to seven—shapes the project’s mission. She named the effort after her first toy, a My Little Pony named Blossom, which she received at age five. “It was my only thing that I actually had that was mine,” she recalled, noting that dignity drives the work. Many foster children, she said, rarely get to call anything their own.
Student voices
Junior student‑council member Brynlee McNeill said the project opened her eyes to the challenges faced by peers in foster care. “I’ve never had to experience anything like that. It just opened my eyes to what other people go through and that’s what made me really want to be more involved,” she said.
Senior Key Club member Violet Wesley expressed hope that the spirit of service will continue beyond the current drive. “I hope that even when this project ends they’ll come up with other projects or just still help even if it’s not this specific project,” she said.
How to help
Donations can be dropped off at Durant High School until the drive ends on Friday. The school encourages community members, local businesses and other organizations to contribute, emphasizing that every item—no matter how small—helps provide stability for children navigating uncertain circumstances.
Community impact
Project Blossom reflects a growing trend of student‑led service initiatives that address immediate needs in their neighborhoods. By mobilizing volunteers and leveraging school resources, the program not only supplies essential goods but also fosters empathy and civic responsibility among the next generation of leaders.
As the collection period concludes, organizers plan to evaluate the volume of donations and explore ways to expand the effort next year, potentially partnering with additional shelters and agencies throughout southeastern Oklahoma.
Original reporting: KXII News 12 (Gray) — read the source article.
