DILLONVALE — Students in the Buckeye Local School District received free school supplies this year, thanks to support from donors and the district itself.

Assistant Superintendent Scott Celestin said $12,000 worth of paper, pencils and other necessities were procured to assist students and to help avoid the spread of coronavirus. Celestin said about $4,000 each was provided by the school district, Team Buckeye Local Unites Everyone and Ascent Resources to benefit an estimated 1,800 students.

“We usually put out supply lists for parents but wanted to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by preventing kids from sharing them and bringing them from home,” he said.

Celestin said he knew the price tag would be costly, but donors generously pitched in one-third to cover expenses and helped all of the students in the district. Every child in pre-kindergarten to sixth grade received crayons, pencils, glue sticks, scissors, two pocket folders, an art box and two one-subject notebooks. Officials said preschoolers also received mats, kindergarten through second grade gained index cards and third through sixth grades obtained composition notebooks, paper highlighters and colored pencils. In addition, everyone was provided with ear buds and a binder while junior high and high schoolers received notebooks for their studies.

Susan Nolan, principal at Buckeye North Elementary and a member of Team B.L.U.E., said the organization’s contribution was made since COVID-19 led to the cancellation of this year’s Back-to-School Bash.

“Since we could not have a Back-to-School Bash and other districts were purchasing supplies, Superintendent Kim Leonard got on board to buy supplies and the (Ascent Resources) also donated to the district,” Nolan said. Team B.L.U.E.’s “funding was still there from donations in the past, and if we have a Back-to-School Bash next year we can solicit money again.”

Ascent also worked with Buckeye Local schools to reduce common area school supplies after the district reached out regarding its 2020-21 back-to-school year project. The project consisted of buying school supplies for students that would normally be shared in the classroom such as crayons and pencils.

“Being able to assist students and staff during this pandemic has become a top priority for Ascent Resources in Ohio,” Amanda Finn, director of government relations, states in a company release. “We value not only the safety of our employees and vendors, but of the communities in which we operate. Being able to contribute over $10,000 in COVID-19 related donations for back to school initiatives was a great cause for us to support.”