Around 500 lower-income students across Davis School District will walk into class on Thursday, Aug. 20, wearing new clothes, shoes and backpacks chosen specifically for them by a fellow student who learned their favorite color and dream outfit before ever meeting them.
That's the premise behind Child Spree, the Davis Education Foundation's annual back-to-school shopping event. This year's edition took place in early August at Kohl's locations in Layton, Centerville and Clinton, with more than 400 volunteers arriving before sunrise to shop.
How it works
Teachers, counselors and school staff quietly nominate students they know are in need. Each nominated child records a short video sharing their favorite color, interests and style. A volunteer watches that video, then shops for roughly $150 worth of clothing, shoes and a backpack tailored to that specific kid.
The model is deliberately personal. Instead of a bulk donation drive, each volunteer is matched one-on-one with a single child, turning the experience into something closer to a gift from a neighbor than a charity handout.
The need behind the numbers
Sherry Miggin, the Davis Education Foundation's partnership and development coordinator, told Fox 13 in an early August segment about back-to-school programs that roughly 20% of Davis School District students are economically disadvantaged. That translates to about 13,000 students in need across the district's 92 schools and more than 67,000 students.
Child Spree reaches around 500 of those students each year. The gap between 500 served and 13,000 in need underscores why the program depends on corporate sponsors and individual donors. This year's sponsors included Marathon, America First Credit Union, Lifetime, Waste Management, Holy Cross Hospital Davis and Kohl's, according to the district.
With 13,000 economically disadvantaged students districtwide, programs like Child Spree fill gaps that individual school fundraising cannot. The foundation, established in 1982, serves as the district's fundraising partner and lists Child Spree alongside Teen Centers, Kids' Closet and seasonal-needs programs under its student supports.
What's next
Davis School District's 2026-27 school year begins Thursday, Aug. 20, with an early-out day for elementary students, as we reported July 29. Community members can still sponsor a child for $150 at dsdgive.net.
Schools Week Ahead
- Thursday, Aug. 20 — First day of school, Davis School District. Elementary students have an early-out day across Bountiful, Woods Cross, North Salt Lake and Farmington.
