If only kids could be kept as excited about school as they were today!
More than 1,000 kindergartners through eighth graders eagerly attended Racine's Back-to-School Jam -- well, that's what the DJ called it! -- at Festival Hall this afternoon, to collect a free backpack filled with school supplies. The official name was the Back to School, Stay in School Festival.
While they waited for the handout to begin at 2 p.m. they played games like dodgeball outside with Racine playground leaders, danced under the big tent to the DJ, visited a bounce house, had their faces painted, stopped at booths staffed by the Racine Fire Department, Educators Credit Union, the Girl Scouts, chess club, Lighted Schoolhouse, Safe Kids, Safe Haven, the NAACP Youth Council and Focus on Community to pick up information, free pencils, a stick-on fireman badge.
Oh, and they drank free Pepsi and ate free pizza; in fact, they went through more than 180 pizzas by about 1 p.m., supplied by Racine's two Domino's franchises, which took turns bringing in 25 pies at a time.
But the main event was the handing out of the backpacks, organized by former mayoral candidate Lesia Hill-Driver, who raised $10,000 from local businesses and organizations to buy the supplies.
Jamie Ruth McAllister, 5, got her face painted
Dodgeball was led by city Rec Dept. playground leaders
Spinning the wheel for a prize from Educators Credit Union
Backpacks definitely worth waiting for!
What a great event - congratulations to all involved in raising the private funds and the implementation thanks also to all the sponsors.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard about this event, I closed my eyes and had a vision of what the lines would look like. After seeing the photos, I now consider myself a genius and a visionary.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great event, but very sad to see how many of our community's children's families can't afford the basics for back-to-school.
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:36: My front page picture may have given you a faulty impression. The kids were orderly and well-behaved, and the event was run efficiently.
ReplyDeleteYes, there were 1,000 kids -- but there was no chaos. Once the backpack giveaway started at 2 p.m. volunteers sent each kid to the window handing out the age-appropriate backpack. There was no pushing or shoving. It was very well organized.
Did any non-minority kids get anything?
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:44...
ReplyDeleteThey could afford it - they chose not to spend their money on it. Between the sales, you could outfit an elementary or middle school kid for under $5 for the entire year, with the exception of the backpack. If they took care of the one they had the year previously, that wouldn't be an additional cost. I'm getting tired of these parents who sit on their butt all day expecting the rest of the community to provide for their kids. I choose to make my "donations" to families I know are having legitimate employment issues and are struggling vs. the families who are always first in line with the freebies.
It takes a village to raise a child ... thanks everyone for a job well done. It all about the kids. Lets teach the kids up this year Racine Unified. They deserve nothing less.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:54 -
ReplyDeleteGet real! This is Racine. White kids don't count when it comes to freebies. Where have you been living for the past 15 years?? You're just realizing this now???
The sad thing is that about 300 kids what away empty handed as they ran out of backpacks - anyone want to donate money for more?
ReplyDeleteWhere would we donate a backpack or two to the kids who were left with none? I'm a "village supports the children kind of person" ... and have a couple new ones to pass on. I can see where we have a problem: cynacism at the adult level even here on Racine Post postings! Kids can't choose their parents. We can choose to be good examples of sharing what we have with others. Let's remember one thing: this is not an issue of race, it's an issue of socio-economics. If you're still connecting this with race, you're totally missing the point.
ReplyDeletePete - if someone wanted to donate a backpack or money for a backpack for one of the kids that did not get one, who should they contact?
ReplyDelete"White kids don't count when it comes to freebies."
ReplyDeleteHmmm...I saw white kids in the pictures.
It takes parents to raise a child, not a village. If you want the village to raise your child for you, ask the village for permission before having the child, and give up custody once you have.
ReplyDeleteYou are responsible for raising your children, no one else.
This is a great thing. Those who donate mean well, but
ReplyDeleteI wonder though if we are wasting money. Similar to the bike give away. Those bikes are garbage if the chain falls off or they get a flat tire. The parents are not fixing/maintaining them. Why can't they use the same back pack for more than a year? Parents should have to have a referral from workforce development or salvation army, etc.
The food pantries have the same rules about referrals. Unfortunately there are those who are just greedy and not needy.
Many of the kids in the inner city go to SC Johnson elementary. Maybe the teachers there can help with a referral to who needs supplies.
Parents are now spending over a quarter billion dollars per year for the 2nd worst education in Wisconsin. Struggling in a recession they are forced to take charity, while the cap on district salaries is discarded!
ReplyDeleteIt costs at about $100 to the basic buy back-to-school supplies. That's a lot of money.
ReplyDeleteOh, I get it! This picture is one of those "Where's Waldo" pictures only this one is "Where's the White Kid". Nope - don't see any.
ReplyDeleteMy Racine sure teaches their minority youth to beg for free government handouts at a young age. Just to think, back in my day we had to work for school supplies. I imagine this is what the line for "Free Government Healthcare" will look like too?