Julie Klemz, Harbison West Elementary School’s 2025–2026 Teacher of the Year and founder of the school’s “Casual for a Cause” fundraiser, was inspired by an idea she encountered during a dental appointment last summer. She noticed someone wearing a T-shirt promoting the idea of dressing casually for a meaningful cause and immediately thought it would be a wonderful initiative to bring to Harbison West Elementary School. Mrs. Klemz shared her vision with her youngest daughter, Lexi, who designed a special Harbison West T-shirt for the fundraiser. Marlene Contreras, HWES’s 2025–2026 Support Employee of the Year, then helped bring the vision to life by creating and producing the shirts for staff members who wished to purchase one.
After receiving approval and support from Harbison West’s Principal, Dr. Thomas Turner, Mrs. Klemz introduced the “Casual for a Cause” initiative to the staff during a back-to-school inservice presentation in August. The concept was met with immediate enthusiasm, and the staff quickly rallied behind the idea.
The HWES staff then voted on which charity the fundraiser would support, and the District Five Foundation was overwhelmingly selected as the organization of choice.
Throughout the school year, staff members who donated $1 each Wednesday were permitted to wear jeans and, if they chose, their “Casual for a Cause” T-shirts. Some staff members contributed for the entire year in advance, while others donated week by week. Over time, participation and excitement continued to grow, with a large portion of the staff joining in regularly.
By the end of the school year, Harbison West Elementary School had raised an impressive $1,200 for the District Five Foundation. The initiative truly embodied the motto: “We dressed down to raise others up!”
