This academic year has started with big changes for some local students, as students from Wilkinsburg High School transitioned to Westinghouse Academy. In an effort to support the students attending Westinghouse Academy this year, Equipoise--the Black and African American Faculty and Staff Association at the University of Pittsburgh--set out on an ambitious mission to collect enough supplies to stuff 300 backpacks. With about 14 different collection sites, and the support of colleagues across campus, they were able to collect a grand total of 1,232 total individual supplies.  They received a wide variety of items from their collection sites, and were able to put together a few boxes of supplies for primary school aged children and teachers at Pittsburgh Faison K-5 and Pittsburgh Lincoln PreK-5.  Equipoise partners in distributing the school supplies were Pitt-Assisted Communities & Schools and the Homewood Children’s Village. The supplies were delivered to Westinghouse Academy students on Thursday, September 8th at their Back to School event. The top 3 collected items were pens, pencils, and spiral bound notebooks & composition books. Included in the grand total were, 63 backpacks for success with 2 packs of loose leaf paper, one 3 ring binder, 4 spiral bound notebooks, 10+ pens, pencils, & highlighters, several pocket folders; 4 stuffed lunch boxes with one combination lock, small notebooks, pens, pencils, and highlighters; and lastly 13 pencil pouches stuffed with a variety of writing utensils and a combination lock. Since its inception in the 1960s, Equipoise ‘s stated purpose was to facilitate the unique goals and objectives related to Black and African American faculty, administrators, and professional staff including interest, needs, and concerns. In an effort to foster and facilitate relationships with the youth and families in the surrounding Black and African American Pittsburgh community, the Equipoise Young Professional Committee decided to launch the Mission 300: Back 2 School Supply Drive for students attending Westinghouse Academy. Mission 300’s top 4 contributors were the University of Pittsburgh Law School, the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, the Office Institutional Advancement, and the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid.See more photos on Flickr.