Starting in and all throughout April, Texas recognizes Child Abuse Awareness Month. All around the state, organizations and businesses coordinate events, fundraisers, and campaigns to educate others and get their support to help children out there who are suffering from abuse. Schools also participate in creating fundraisers of their own, James Bowie High School being an example. 

On April 24, Bowie High School took part in what was called “Blue Out Bowie.” On that day students and staff are encouraged to wear blue to raise awareness as well as contribute donations to the Austin Center for Child Protection, a nationally accredited non-profit advocacy center that is directly involved in the investigation of crimes against children. The tradition, specifically picked and led by U.S. History teacher Alejandro Garcia, had started in 2013, but stopped during COVID, and as of 2026, it is back again. 

“Child abuse awareness was chosen because in 2013 I led PALS, which focuses on mentoring kids,” Garcia said. “Since we worked with kids all the time, it made sense to have a child focused activity.” 

PALS, Peer Assistance Leadership and Service is an organization that exists in high schools across the nation, where students go and work with kids in elementary school and middle school to help them build friendships, confidence, and social skills. For Blue Out Bowie PALS students played a crucial role in setting up and organizing. 

“One thing people might not realize about fundraisers, is what goes into all the background, like planning,” PALS junior Jayden Pratt said. “You have to make sure the idea’s brought up to the school, make sure that it gets approved, and make sure you have all the products necessary to do what you’re doing.” 

The PALS were told a month in advance about the fundraiser, and along with the help of Garcia and the PALS teacher, Jacqueline Gonzalez, as well as Student Council, the school came together to help create the event students got to see. 

“Activities like this can’t be done without students embracing the idea, promoting it, and participating in it,” Garcia said.

“They helped make this year so successful.” 

Many of the students helped out with the fundraiser, having different roles. They did anything from helping donate supplies, make signs, hand out cookies, and get other students excited. 

“I donated school supplies myself, as well as helped hand out cookies to people in the courtyard, dancing in the pit and having a great time,” senior  Lennon Bres said. “But knowing that I did my part to help those in need was the most rewarding part of helping.” 

Some of the volunteers were pleasantly surprised with how the event unfolded. They saw how students can contribute to their community. 

“It’s been great to see a community so willing to give and help out,” Bres said. “You don’t always see the good in people in everyday life, but being a part of something like this really showed how great our community at Bowie is.” 

Besides simply just knowing about the cause, Pratt hopes that students’ attention is brought to the importance for the cause as a whole and how much work students are putting into it.

“I hope it brought awareness to the students that this is a cause they should be looking out for,” Pratt said. “Since it’s supporting children who have been abused or sexually assaulted. We’re supporting them and trying to give back to them. That’s where all our donations and everything goes.” 

A lot of people participated by wearing blue and making donations of school supplies and toiletries, which were the main activity for the fundraiser. The supplies were dropped off at the Austin Center, and Garcia notes it as one of the most rewarding parts of the event.

“It’s most rewarding seeing the faces of the workers at the Austin Center for Child Protection when we bring in all of our donations to benefit the kids they help,” Garcia said. 

Pratt noted that most students don’t  know all the facts when it comes to child abuse, and that this fundraiser is a good way to educate them on just what awareness is being raised for. 

“It’s an important cause because it’s happening to a lot of kids that we probably don’t even realize,” Pratt said. “So many children go through abuse and they are defenseless, and it’s important to support them because they probably don’t even know how to help themselves.” 

Overall, Garcia believes there is much students can take away from helping out with events such as this. 

“It’s important to do our part to help out however we can when an opportunity arises to assist others,” Garcia said. “It’s always the right time to do the right thing, assisting others in need is one of life’s greatest joys.”