Barnegat High School Gets $4K County Grant To Expand Confidence Closet

BARNEGAT, NJ — Barnegat High School has received a $4,000 grant from the Ocean County Youth Services Commission to expand its Confidence Closet, a student resource that provides access to basic needs items. The district said the new funding will be used to provide students who visit the closet with vouchers for haircuts, clothing and necessity items.

“We are incredibly grateful to receive this grant from Ocean County Youth Services because it allows us to expand the Confidence Closet at Barnegat High School and better support our students,” said Tracee DuBeck, vice principal at BHS. “Something as simple as access to hygiene products, clothing, or school supplies can make a meaningful difference in a student’s confidence and readiness to learn. Our goal is to make sure that every student at Barnegat High School feels cared for, supported, and prepared to succeed.”

The Confidence Closet was established during the 2023-2024 school year after the Ocean County Youth Services Commission awarded Barnegat High School a $16,155 grant. According to the district, that earlier funding paid for shelving, cabinets, hygiene products, non-perishable snacks, school supplies, clothing and other items.

The closet is intended to support students who may be facing difficult circumstances by giving them access to essential and personal hygiene items, according to DuBeck. Students can request items by visiting the main office, guidance department or nurse’s office. QR codes posted throughout the school also link students to a Google form where they can request what they need.

There are no applications or prerequisites to use the closet, and every student is eligible to visit it.

“We want our students to feel confident every single day,” said DuBeck. “We want to do what we can to provide items that can help. If a student is struggling or knows someone who is, they can speak with a trusted staff member like a counselor, nurse, or administrator or fill out a request form, and we will connect them discreetly to the Confidence Closet. The purpose of the Confidence Closet is to help every student feel confident so that they can focus on learning.”

The district said similar support is available in its middle and elementary schools through Caring Closets, which work in much the same way. Those closets recently received a $1,035 grant from Rotary Internation District 7505, and the rotary added another $1,465 for a total of $2,500 to help expand them.

“We are grateful for the grants that allow us to continue to expand the Confidence and Caring closets,” said Brian Latwis, Superintendent of Schools. “We want every student throughout the district to feel comfortable in the classroom so they can succeed in school. The closets help to reduce students’ worries so they can focus on their education.”