CPMS Builders Club goes extra mile to help students at Monarch School 

The Spring Valley-based College Preparatory Middle School eighth-grade Builders Club recently held a supply drive to help less fortunate children at the Monarch School in San Diego, the only school in the country to support unhoused children. The student-run elective has been collecting supples for Monarch since 2023.

What Is the Monarch School? 

The Monarch School is a nonprofit organization founded by Sandra McBrayer that specifically helps less fortunate unhoused children get the education they deserve. 

The organization is run by the San Diego County Office of Education and the nonprofit Monarch School Project. Children enroll through word of mouth, with approximately 300-350 children attending daily — although not all students follow the Monday-Friday schedule typical of a traditional school. 

The Monarch school, however, does not stop at just education. 

The school provides food and clothing for less fortunate children. Additionally, the school nurtures resilience in unhoused youth and their families and empowers students to take control of their academic journey and social-emotional learning. 

CPMS Builders Club 

CPMS’s eighth-grade elective “Builders Club,” run by science teacher Ms. Spencer, holds quarterly fundraisers and supply drives for non-profit organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Toys for Tots, UNICEF, Hurricane Harvey Adopt-a-Classroom and the Monarch School. 

Outside of fundraisers and supply drives, the elective teaches students about volunteering and community service, as well as teamwork, problem-solving, and communication. 

Supply drive statistics 

The student-run elective has been collecting supplies for the Monarch School since 2023, with one designated fundraiser per year.

In the most recent year, 2025, students gathered a total of 480 items for the Monarch School, and in 2023, the club collected 902 items. College Preparatory Middle School’s Builders Club collects an average of 549 items a year for the Monarch School.

Spencer explained that from a young age, volunteering and community service have been a cornerstone in her life. Spencer added that her mom is her role model. Her mother is involved in the family with church, cheer, and other activities.

Such involvement motivated her to give back, and with her community service as a child, Builder’s Club was a perfect way for Spencer to give back to the community and instill the importance of volunteering in the new generation. 

The Monarch School relies on funding and donations from outside organizations like the Builders Club, as well as individuals from around the world.

Helping children’s nonprofit organizations, kind-hearted people help give children the chance they deserve to thrive in today’s modern world. 

Editor’s note: This article was written by CPMS eighth-grade students Harell Lobo & RJ Nascimento.