DES MOINES, Iowa — Caitlin Clark made an appearance at North High School in Des Moines Friday afternoon because of her foundation's "Back to School Backpacks" initiative through which over 350 backpacks filled with school supplies were given away to local students.
The Indiana Fever rookie guard went to Dowling Catholic in West Des Moines herself before moving on to the University of Iowa.
Clark spoke during the event, providing encouragement and motivation for the upcoming school year.
“I know how fortunate I was to have a strong education and access to tools that allowed me to be successful in the classroom,” said Clark. "School supplies are essential for every student’s learning and development, and The Caitlin Clark Foundation is grateful to our sponsors for their support in making this event possible."
Through the initiative, backpacks were provided by Nike, Hy-Vee provided the school supplies to fill them and Gatorade added a water bottle to each bag.
The Caitlin Clark Foundation says it is centered around three pillars that include education, nutrition and sports. The foundation adds that it wants to help students be successful in school and gaining confidence through learning.
“Caitlin Clark is not only one of the world’s most talented and best known athletes, she is also a generous soul." Dr. Ian Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, said. "She knows that when you succeed, you should give a little something back to help others succeed, and that’s exactly what she did today. We were excited to welcome Caitlin to North High School today to meet students from across the district, and are honored to count the Caitlin Clark Foundation as a new DMPS partner in our important work of providing a quality education to the students of Des Moines.”