Class of 2024 Organizes Successful Shoe Drive

This fall, the Niskayuna Class of 2024 started a shoe drive to help benefit the Schenectady City Mission. Over 1,380 pairs of shoes, as well as a check of $500, were donated. I talked to the Class of 2024 president, Arya Dixit, about the donation process.

Aishani Misra: Why did you specifically choose to donate to the Schenectady City Mission? Were there other people who helped you make this decision?

Arya Dixit: The Schenectady City Mission was a great choice since it helps our community directly, especially during the winter season. A group of people and the class advisors (Ms. DeRocco and Mr. Eichfeld) helped make this decision. A lot of people helped make it happen.

AM: How did you feel after successfully donating 1,000+ pairs of shoes?

AD: We didn’t think we would hit 500, much less 1,000 pairs of shoes. It was very surprising, so it made me feel good.

AM: What is something you would like to see improved or changed?

AD: Mr. Eichfeld did a lot of the work, like packaging and bringing in more donations. Next time I would like to see more of us, students, doing the work. 

AM: What was the hardest part of the donation process?

AD: The hardest part honestly had to be the day we were shipping the shoes out in a truck. We came really early in the morning to help. The bags are also way heavier than they look, it took a lot of effort hauling them to the truck and packaging them. Mr. Eichfeld really helped greatly in the donation process. The other class officers also really helped.

The school matched $1 for every 500 pairs of shoes. I think that the shoe drive was a great way to get the community involved and the donated shoes will really benefit people over this long winter.