Consider year one a success. Now it’s time for year two.
Following up the inaugural Back-2-School Bash, the Elizabethton City Schools System is rounding up the resources to put on an even bigger event for 2017. The upcoming event will be held prior to the 2017-18 school year — Saturday, Aug. 5, at Citizens Bank Stadium from 10 a.m. to noon. The event is free and open to the public.
“Our students are our future, and their success depends on whether they are prepared with the tools they need to learn and be focused in class,” ECS Director of Schools Dr. Corey Gardenhour said. “We are calling on the community to help them return to school with confidence by supporting the Back-2-School Bash.”
During 2016, school officials reported nearly 3,000 people celebrated the beginning of this school year with the bash. Hundreds of volunteers participated in the event and helped sponsor 800 backpacks full of school supplies to be distributed to youth within the school system.
The event is featured as a community event with different activities available to the public. Last year, the event saw donated bicycles given to event-goers, along with inflatables, lunch and other events available to attendees.
For the second annual event, the system plans to raise $20,000 to provide 1,000 backpacks to Elizabethton students in grades K-12. To meet this need, the school system is looking for sponsors for backpacks, inflatables and lunch.
Other items needed for the event includes volunteers and organizations that provide resources to families with informative tables and prizes for winning ticket holders.
Throughout the 2016 event, children had the opportunity to participate in an obstacle course offered by the Elizabethton Police Department. Along with the course, attendees got to watch the department’s canines perform on the field. The inaugural event saw nearly 40 different businesses and organizations educating the public about immunizations, providing dental and eye exams to after school programs and secondary education.
During Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting, Dr. Gardenhour thanked the efforts of the Kiwanis Club of Elizabethton for signing on to be the first sponsor for the upcoming endeavor.
Individuals and organizations that assist in the event will receive recognition in various locations, including online and in print media. Contact Bekah Price via email at bekah.price@ecschools.net for more information.