Craig Daily Press

michael j. seamans/special to the daily press

Debbie Wellman and her daughter Emily, 13, sift through the boxes of back-to-school supplies at Kmart on Monday. Emily will be entering the eighth grade today fully stocked with required supplies.

michael j. seamans/special to the daily press

Kyra Workman shuffles through some back-to-school supplies with her dad, Mike, at KMart on Monday. School starts up today, and last-minute school shopping is pulling people into the stores.

Craig — In a last minute search for Number 2 pencils, calculators and three-ring binders, parents must decide when it’s time to close the account and head for the cash register.

Mike Workman and his daughter, Kyra, were shopping the school supply aisle at Kmart on Monday afternoon looking for last-minute items.

“Colored pencils,” Mike Workman said. “This is the list of things we forgot.”

Workman has had plenty of experience shopping for back-to-school items. A daughter in college and two high school students have made him a 13-year veteran of the back to school aisle.

“It’s usually last-minute shopping for us,” he said. “We’re just guessing on some items.”

Some shoppers had lists Monday — the day before school begins in Moffat County — handed out by the schools that detail the school supplies students need for class.

Edd Fallon tries to shop early each year, but missing highlighters sent him back to the store Monday.

Jordyn Kincade is 14 years old and is making the transition into high school. As she shopped for last-minute supplies, she said she’s not too excited about beginning the school year.

“It took two days to get everything I need, including the clothes,” she said. “I’m still looking for a pencil bag.”

Emily Wellman clutched a binder and calculator as she shopped with her mother, Debbie.

The 13-year-old is entering the eighth grade and needed graph paper to complete her list.

“The backpack was the biggest thing we bought,” she said. “Oh yeah, and the clothes… Those were the big items, and we have plenty of them.”

Debbie Wellman studied the list and let out a heavy sigh.

“It’s only 3:30 Monday, with school starting tomorrow, so I guess we’re not doing too badly,” she said.

Ashley Roach at Jackson’s Office Supply said pencil bags are the hot item bringing kids in the door.

“This is the hardest thing to find,” she said, holding a bag complete with holes to fit in a binder. “That and colored pencils. We’re wiped out of those.”

Eloy Hernandez is a fifth-grader this year and was shopping Monday with his pre-school brother. He struggled to find red grading pencils.

“That’s the last thing I need,” he said.

While the parents look forward to school starting for reasons of their own, many students can relate to the feelings expressed by high school sophomore Kyra Workman.

“I want school to start so it will go by faster,” she said. “So I can get it done.”

Dan Olsen can be reached at 824-7031, ext.207, or dolsen@craigdailypress.com