School Supplies Drive Coming at Six Flags St. Louis

in again will host a Back To School Supply Drive to benefit KidSmart of St. Louis, which provides local kids with free school supplies. This is the third year the theme park managers have supported this community cause.

Six Flags park guests who bring in five school supplies from KidSmart’s “Top 5 Needed School Supplies” list (paper, pencils, crayons, markers and glue) during Aug 6 to 10, or again on Aug. 13 and 14, will receive a one-day admission for $24.99—which is half-price off of the daily admission. Items must be new and in their original packaging.

"Last year, we collected 24,294 school supplies through our drive and we are hoping to surpass that number this year," said Six Flags St. Louis public relations manager Elizabeth Gotway. "We extended our operating calendar by two days on August 13 and 14 so guests can enjoy the park two more days before school starts and participate in the back To School Supply Drive."

Gotway said the annual drive provides guests great back to school savings while helping thousands of local kids who would not have the supplies they need otherwise. 

Each year more than 90,000 students in the St. Louis area lack the basic school supplies they need, such as pencils, paper and crayons, due to a lack of financial resources, according to KidSmart sources.

Donations from individuals and businesses help keep the shelves of KidSmart’s Free Store stocked. KidSmart distributes the supplies through teachers from qualifying schools who shop at the KidSmart Free Store once a month. After shopping, teachers distribute the materials directly into the hands of the kids in need.

Since opening in 2002, KidSmart distributed more than $20 million in free school supplies to St. Louis, St. Louis County and rural area students in need. Last year, KidSmart collected 425,000 new school supplies overall—including the 24,294 supplies from Six Flags St. Louis—and raised $85,000 in financial support for St. Louis kids.

To qualify to shop at KidSmart, a teacher must work at a school where 70 percent or more of the children are on the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program.