CTE teacher Kim Nelson-Burgess stands at the open sign to her pop-up thrift store. Nelson is a thrifter at heart who fell in love with it after losing her parents. Photo by Kalissa Everett
CTE teacher Kim Nelson turns her classroom into a pop-up thrift store to raise money for prom
The Pirates’ Hook (PH): Whose idea was it to start the thrift store?
Kimberly Nelson-Burgess (KNB): It was mine because I am a thrifter at heart.
PH: Why did you decide that a thrift store would be the best way to raise money for prom?
KNB: After speaking with [the committee] we had some other ideas. Students wanted to sell some items, where they wanted to sell snacks, but we can’t sell snacks because of the cafeteria guidelines and nutritional guidelinesSo I was like, ‘Well, what kind of fundraiser can we do?’ And I have all these things. I have people donating stuff all the time. I’m a thrifter. Why not do a thrift store? So I thought it was perfect. I did ask the student prom committee if it was something they would like to do.
PH: How did you get the clothes?
KNB: I’ve had students donate. I’ve had staff donate. My daughter cleaned out her closet, so I brought her things in. She wanted me to just send them to Goodwill. And I was like, ‘You know what? You have a lot of graphic tees and jeans, ripped jeans, and things.’ So I just took her things, washed them, got them together, and brought them on in.
PH: Is this a student-led operation? Or do you handle most of it?
KNB: I handle most of it, especially the financial part of it, although they were donated items, it wasn’t things that the school purchased, because we are turning in money, we have to have a receipt to go along with that.
PH: What has the student response been like?
KNB: It’s been very good. We have a lot of students here who really enjoy thrifting. I have some that are interested in the scrap metals. Treasures! Someone’s junk becomes someone else’s treasures. You never know what you’re going to find at a thrift store, hidden gems, beautiful pieces, new and vintage, old pieces.
PH: How much money are you trying to raise?
KNB: At least $300 and we’re close. I think we may even get over that by the time the prom is here.
PH: How long are you planning to run the thrift store?
KNB: We are planning to continue this until prom and maybe even after prom.
PH: Would you consider doing this again? Why or why?
KNB: Yes, I would. I like to see the interactions. I like to see students coming in and seeing things that they may like. It’s a lot of students I’ve never seen before, and so I’m getting to meet new students and interact with them. So I think it’s just a great gathering place. I’m learning what students like and don’t like, and I try to keep the prices where students could afford them.
PH: What price range did you do?
KNB: Anywhere from $1 to $5
PH: Would you consider making it a year-long thing?
KNB: That would be something I would have to speak to Dr. Wood-Weeks, about just to see what her thoughts are. We really don’t have a whole lot of space to keep things, but it would be nice because I still have people who want to donate things inside and outside. Because my church organization, friends, family, they are telling me they have more things that they would like to donate. So, yes, if we have storage and are able to put things away where they’re not going to mold or anything and it’s not going to be a fire hazard for the school, then, yeah, we may be able to do that.
PH: What’s it like for your classroom to double as a thrift store?
KNB: It’s a huge classroom, so it has really been good. I mean, the only day that students actually have to change their routine is on Wednesdays, they keep their book bags with them, but all the other days, they put their book bags back here. But it hasn’t been a huge adjustment.
PH: What’s been the most difficult part of prom planning this year?
KNB: I would have to say just trying to come up with a theme was the most difficult part of it. I think the theme this year right here is going to be a fun thing. It’s unusual. I just can’t wait to see what everybody’s gonna wear. They don’t necessarily have to wear what the theme is saying, because it is prom, but I think it’s gonna be fun. And I went with that thing because it won the majority. But then we have one male prom student, and he suggested that theme, and I was like, you know, why not? Yeah, but it got the highest votes.
PH: What are you most excited about?
KNB: I’m excited about just seeing all of the students. I look forward to seeing students transform into their gowns, the guys in their suits and tuxedos. You know how they just come in and they’re excited. They look so beautiful and handsome. So, yeah, I get excited just to see that, to see everyone outside of Riverside, in a different environment.
PH: Is there anything else you want to tell me that I haven’t asked you about?
KNB: Thrifting became my passion. For a while I was at home because I had had surgery on my shoulder from a previous job before I started teaching. I had lost my parents within that time, too. My parents both passed away in the same year, same month, three weeks behind each other, and so I kind of went through a little depression dealing with that. I found myself thrifting, and it became [my] peace. You never know what’s so peaceful about just going in and just shopping. You don’t even necessarily have to buy anything, but just looking and seeing all the different beautiful things that you know that you may want to purchase, and then meeting other people you know that you have something in common with. It’s not something that everyone enjoys doing, but it became a sense of peace for me.
