Midland High NHS students work to end period poverty

Midland 100 Club continues to support efforts with tampon drive

The National Honor Society (NHS) at Midland High School continues its commitment to eliminate period poverty, the lack of access to menstrual supplies, in our community. This global issue, facing many students in Midland County, is directly linked to absenteeism and missed class time, according to a study conducted by the University of Michigan. In the United States, one in four students struggles to afford menstrual products, according to the non-profit Period.org. The Alliance for Period Products, a national network supporting non-profits working to end period poverty, states that one in three low-income menstruating people will miss work, school, or similar events due to the lack of access to period products.

The Period Hygiene subcommittee of the Midland High NHS was formed three years ago after attending the Women’s Summit hosted by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, where they learned about period poverty and its effect on education. The group created a comprehensive menstrual health initiative with the goal of reducing absenteeism, tardiness, and overall menstrual-related disruptions to education. This group provides free, high-quality period products in all restrooms of the four MPS secondary buildings, including Dow
and Midland high schools, and Jefferson and Northeast middle schools. Many classrooms are also stocked with products as an added convenience for students.

“This project continues to enable our young leaders at MHS to empower other girls in our school district to be comfortable discussing their health,” Tiela Schurman, Midland High School principal Tiela Schurman said. “They are dedicated to serving all MPS secondary schools, and because of this partnership with the Midland 100 Club, their impact reaches even more students throughout Midland County. I could not be prouder!”

For the third consecutive year, the Midland 100 Club asked members to donate menstrual supplies through its signature Tina Van Dam Curbside Giving as they entered the building for its recent September meeting to support the students’ efforts. These donation drivers are a way to supplement the 100 Club’s cash contributions to local organizations that have now made a total cash impact of more than $2.1 million. Midland 100 members donated nearly 3,400 menstrual products and $365 to purchase additional supplies. In addition to MPS, these products were distributed to other Midland County schools, including Bullock Creek, Coleman, Meridian and Windover.

“This collaboration is a wonderful example of the great things that can happen when students take action and connect with our community partners to develop solutions to real problems,” MPS Superintendent Penny Miller-Nelson said. “Thank you to the Midland 100 Club for your continued support of our Midland High students’ effort to combat period poverty and missed classroom time.”

For those interested in helping to support this effort, menstrual products (tampons preferred) can be dropped off at the Midland High School office, 1301 Eastlawn Drive.

To learn more about period poverty and its effect on Michigan communities, the Midland High NHS group suggests visiting these additional resources:

University of Michigan, Changing the Cycle: Period Poverty as a Public Health Crisis: sph.umich.edu