Springbrook Elementary students in Kent receive new coats, hats
Published 2:45 pm Wednesday, November 19, 2025
About 135 kindergartners and first graders received brand-new coats and handmade hats recently at Springbrook Elementary School in Kent.
The donations were part of an annual tradition among the Knights of Columbus, Communities In Schools and the Kent School District.
Springbrook Principal Arneidra Lloyd shared her gratitude for the support shown to her school’s youngest learners, who received the coats and hats on Nov. 7. The school is on the East Hill at 20035 100th Ave. SE.
“We are very thankful to the Knights of Columbus and Communities In Schools coming together to support the students of Springbrook Elementary School, providing kindergartners and first graders coats and some of the best well-knit hats that we’ve ever seen,” Lloyd said, according to a Kent School District media release. “We thank these organizations for helping to keep our students warm during these winter months. We know that now more than ever, as a KSD community, we need to stay together to support our families and each other through this time.”
About 135 children received the coats and hats, according to Jenny Schrepfer, Communities In Schools site coordinator at Springbrook.
“The hats were handmade by one of the amazing volunteers and the coats were all brand new and each one of them was fitted by the volunteers,” Schrepfer said. “It was an amazing experience!”
David de la Fuente, executive director for Communities In Schools of South King County, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership and the joy it brings.
“I’m really pleased to be here today (Nov. 7) to be part of this great partnership between the Kent School District and Springbrook Elementary, and the Knights of Columbus and Communities In Schools,” de la Fuente said. “And we all come together every year to get some kids some homemade hats and some coats for the fall and winter weather, and we’re happy to do it. It seems to give the kids a lot of joy, and it gives us a lot of joy, too.”
Mark Wood, representing the Knights of Columbus at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Covington, talked about the efforts that make this annual donation possible. The Knights of Columbus are a Catholic group founded in 1882.
“Today, we’re handing out coats at Springbrook Elementary School,” Wood said. “We’ve done fundraisers throughout the years—apple sales, cherry sales—and all those proceeds go into buying coats that fit the elementary school kids. Hopefully they’ll take a coat home today and a hat that they will enjoy.”
