Foothills Blog

On Wednesday, Harry Werre and Sofia Marshall (and us moms) had the opportunity to attend the Volunteer Appreciation Lunch at Taft Elementary, one of Boise’s incredible community schools, where over 93% of the students come from low-income or refugee families. We all left feeling incredibly moved and inspired—and I wanted to share why.

First, if your family donated cereal or vegetable oil to the student council food drive: Thank You! Those items were brought to Taft by our student council community service members, and we got to see firsthand how deeply they were appreciated. Your generosity isn’t abstract—it’s feeding real families right here in our city. At Taft, a “community school” means much more than a place to learn. It’s a lifeline for many families. 

The school provides:

• Food and clothing
• Translation and interpreter services
• Healthcare and mental health support
• Housing and employment resource connections
• A safe, welcoming place for children of all backgrounds

Many of the families at Taft are refugees or recent immigrants—and many are feeling especially strained right now with all that’s going on in the country. What touched me most was how this school responds, not just with academics, but with love, dignity, and practical help. Their staff and leaders are incredible!

Taft gave our school this photo of some of their students saying “thank you” in their native languages. They have a huge world map on the wall and pins in all the locations their students are from. We were looking at it when a little girl came up and proudly told us she was from El Salvador and that she was the only one at the school from that country. It made me think how special it is to have a school that actually celebrates these kids’ diversity.

Coming up on May 8 is Taft’s Culture Fest—a joyful celebration of all the beautiful cultures represented at the school. It’s full of food, music, dance, art, and community. It’s also 100% run by volunteers—and I signed up to help. I'd love to see some familiar faces there. The 7-8th graders will be on their spring trip, but if any parents want to help out here is the link to sign up: Volunteer for Taft’s Culture Fest

Thank you again for being part of something meaningful. These kids—and this school—are truly special, and I hope more families in our community can experience what we did.