Every Southfield Elementary fifth grader receives new Nike shoes

Hope Church’s Hope Kicks initiative provided the shoes, hoping to build students’ confidence during their final year of elementary school.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Fifth graders at Southfield Elementary School received a surprise Thursday that had them smiling from ear to ear.

Through a partnership with Hope Church and its Hope kicks initiative, every fifth grader received a brand-new pair of Nike athletic shoes.  

The special celebration was about encouraging students to keep moving, keep dreaming and keep moving forward.  

Jordan Poole, the founder of Hope Kicks, says seeing those big smiles is what makes the moment so meaningful. 

“Hope Kicks started back in 2019 as a back-to-school project to help bring confidence to a student to start the school year off and walk down the hallway with their heads lifted a little higher,” Poole said. 

Poole says while some families may not be able to afford a new pair of shoes, Hope Kicks is working to make sure every child has the opportunity to feel confident and ready to take their next step.  

“To provide something that maybe students won’t have the ability to get for themselves, it’s another way to let them know people care about you, your future, and where you’re going. so it is a beautiful metaphorical picture as well, that we care about the steps you take,” he said.

Poole hopes the event will build confidence in these students as they prepare to move into middle school.

“We looked at fifth grade because it is that final year of hitting a growth spurt and going into middle school, which is a whole different environment, whole new world, with different challenges,” Poole said. “So we said, let’s look at that last year, and say let’s finish it strong, and hopefully it helps you as you go into next year, saying I started last year pretty well, let’s do it this year.”