More than half of students in Sonoma County public schools meet the state’s criteria for economic disadvantage, according to state data. At the West Sonoma County Union High School District, one campus is supporting teens by turning a classroom into a free clothing store.
At the El Molino campus — home to Laguna High School and the Academy of Innovative Arts — students file in during lunch to a room filled with pop music, clothing racks and stickered mirrors. It’s known as the Clothing Closet, where students can browse jeans, jewelry, shoes and more, and take what they want for free.
“It’s pretty cool,” said freshman Mina Wilmarth. “It’s bright, it’s clean and they got some nice styles here, There are a lot of different clothes and you can take as many as you want, so if your parents don’t buy you clothes a lot, then this is a great option.”…