Being ready for the start of a school year with new school supplies and enough food to eat can help students succeed. And an event Saturday, July 30, in Springfield will help Springfield Public School District families prepare for the first day on August 22.
The Back to School Bash will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Springfield Expo Center.
SPS spokesman Stephen Hall said the event serves two purposes—to engage with families and to provide resources for them.
"We want to celebrate and have fun because the new school year is upon us," said Hall, "and, so, as the summer winds down, this is really an opportunity for families to come out, enjoy being together. There will be lots of games, interactive activities, fun things for kids to do and families to do. We'll be serving lunch. There will be food. All of it is free. We'll be giving away backpacks full of hygiene items for the school year, and our goal is to give away 5,000 of those backpacks."
Families will also be able to get free groceries, immunizations and more.
Drawings will be held every hour for prizes like Apple Air Pods, a laptop computer and gift cards.
SPS spokesman Stephen Hall said the idea for the event came from district superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan.
"As part of her entry plan when she began with the district last year, she did a lot of listening and learning," he said, "and one of the opportunities she identified was new ways for us to really celebrate the work of our schools and provide services in new ways."
The event is made possible through a collaboration between SPS and community partners.
