North Monterey County high schoolers treat students to shopping spree

Seventy-five North Monterey County students participated in the back-to-school shopping spree of a lifetime Saturday.

North Monterey County Unified School District has launched a mentor/mentee program that allows students from North Monterey County High School to give back to the community by way of mentoring underprivileged youth.

Students from North Monterey County High raised approximately $1,000 to take younger students from the district back-to-school shopping at Target in Marina.

The high schoolers turned mentors helped their mentees select clothing and school supplies

“Some of [the mentees] don’t even have socks or underwear, but they still have that spark of joy and that spark of passion that just makes me hopeful for the world and our community. That’s what I think is so important,” said North Monterey County High junior Zeke Sumpter-Ibarra.

The high schoolers hope to help the community’s underserved, foster and homeless youth.

“It’s a blessing for the kids,” said parent Christopher Torre. “Overall it’s an amazing experience, the things people go out of their way and do for the community.”

The participating students say that they are looking forward to including even more kids in next year’s shopping spree.

KION’s Megan Meier will have more at 5.