TAMPA, Fla. — Homecoming season is in full swing at Tampa Bay high schools, and one in particular needs your help.
Blake High School has its very own boutique, where students can “shop” for free, and they’re running low on formalwear.
The boutique is similar to a thrift store — all the items are donated, and while it has a special place in students’ lives who shop there, it also has a special place in the lives of the students who operate it.
What You Need To Know
- The Blake Boutique at Blake High School serves as a food pantry and clothing thrift shop
- All clothing items are free for students
- The boutique is in need of formalwear donations for the school’s homecoming dance on Oct. 29
- Contact the high school directly to donate
Veteran teacher Amy LaPlante showed Spectrum News around the Blake Boutique.
“We just had these rods installed by a parent volunteer,” she said, motioning to rods holding dozens of hangers of clothes on the walls of what used to be a classroom.
As the Access Points teacher, she’s basically the manager of the boutique, which has recently become a huge success.
“It started off in a couple of cubicles downstairs in the teacher workroom and from last year, it’s exploded,” she said.
And while LaPlante would like to say it’s thanks to the merchandise, it’s really thanks to the boutique’s employees, her Access Point students, a program through the district for its ESE kids.
“It’s been great for the kids. It’s great for them to be a part of the community. It’s been great to see the teachers who don’t get to interact with them as often, they love talking with them, they love helping them with introduction skills,” she said.
LaPlante says many of her students have developmental disabilities, like autism, and through Access Points, students receive career-based training, and running the Blake Boutique perfectly aligns with that.
“When you get interviewed, they already know you know how to hang up clothes, stock food, just stuff like that,” said Faith, who is one of LaPlante’s students.
The Blake Boutique serves not only as a clothing boutique, but also as a food pantry for families in need. Everything in the store was donated, and students take pride in it.
LaPlante says while she never imagined her teaching career would include running a boutique, it’s quickly become one of her favorite duties after seeing the pride her students have not only in the store, but in themselves after a long day at “work.”
If you have any formalwear that you would like to donate, you can contact Blake High School directly. Their homecoming dance is on Oct. 29 and has a masquerade theme.