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Students receive free school supplies during a back-to-school event at Westmore Elementary School on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Students receive free school supplies during a back-to-school event at Westmore Elementary School on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Students receive free school supplies during a back-to-school event at Westmore Elementary School on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Students receive free school supplies during a back-to-school event at Westmore Elementary School on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Students receive free school supplies during a back-to-school event at Westmore Elementary School on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Students at Westmore Elementary will return to school in style this week thanks to a pair of charity initiatives carried out Monday evening.

At Westmore’s back to school event, kids at the Orem school received a free backpack and supplies courtesy of Ken Garff Automotive Group, while the Giving Angels charity provided new clothes for those who needed them.

Tyler Vigue, executive director of the Alpine School District Foundation, said the event came together with the help of Westmore Principal Vic Larsen and other “passionate people” who recognized that the Westmore community has a higher level of need.

“It’s a privilege for me to be a part of that and bring some partners together to just ensure that we have basic needs met,” Vigue said. “These kids know that they’re seen, they’re loved, they’re valued and they have the things they need for the school year.”

Ken Garff purchased backpacks and supplies for all 500-plus students enrolled at the school, according to Kate Terry, Ken Garff’s community event coordinator, and employees from the company’s three Orem dealerships were there to distribute the supplies.

Terry said the goal was to give students autonomy to choose different colored supplies. A long line of families piled up as children took turns picking out different backpacks, pencils and notebooks from Ken Garff vehicles in a trunk-or-treat-style format.

“Letting them choose helps give them a little boost of confidence to kick off the new year,” Terry said. “And so it’s exciting to see the kids happy.”

After going through the line, kids were given free snow cones then went inside the school to get acquainted with their new teacher and classroom. Afterward, some picked up new clothes from the cafeteria.

“They’ll meet their teacher and then depending on how that conversation will go, the teacher will tell them to go into the gym and then they can go get free clothing,” said Ashley Mac Harris, the Giving Angels founder. “We collect clothing and then we distribute them out by size, and people are able to come in and they take all the clothing they need. And we also offer free hygiene items as well.”

One father who has kids at the school, Rich Pope, said he was impressed with the efforts the school took to get the donations together.

“It takes a lot of stress off the parents, so it’s a wonderful thing, and the fact they get a little treat afterwards makes it nice,” Pope said. “For back to school, kids are nervous already. This takes a little bit of pressure off them.”

The father of an incoming fifth grader, Jesús, who also requested that only his first name be used, said the donations will help parents save some money.

“Everything is so expensive right now,” he said.