1100 kids and 4400 pairs of socks - Back to School event gets kids ready for school

Hundreds lined up for the start of the
Back to School Event on Saturday

Photos by Jerry Pickard

Over a thousand Shoreline Public Schools kids participated in the Back to School Event on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at North City Elementary School.

A consortium composed of a dozen member organizations spent ten months planning for the event, collecting money, clothing, school supplies, and backpacks.

Volunteers were careful in fitting shoes

1100 individual students were registered, coming through school resource staff, community organizations, and online enrollment. No one was turned away.

They all came to North City on Saturday.

Shopping for back to school outfits

They found new backpacks full of grade appropriate school supplies - four pair of new socks and underwear from the PTA - new and gently used clothing, sweaters, coats, and shoes.

Some got haircuts on-site from James Alan staff and others went home with vouchers for haircuts from Gene Juarez Academy.

1100 backpacks full of school supplies

Tanya Lascalle from the Center for Human Services, said "The Consortium understands that we are not able to equip every family with all the supplies they need to start school in the fall, but it is our hope that we are supplementing some of the cost and relieving a bit of the stress in obtaining supplies and clothing so students feel prepared for going back to school ready to learn."

The atmosphere was festive, party-like. Everyone was happy and excited. LFP Rotary had their usual hot dog stand, serving everyone. There were balloons.

Finding coats and outerwear

The Resource Fair had information about local services, ICHS had information about their low cost medical and dental care, the mobile library van and librarians handed out packets for library cards prepared by the Friends of the Shoreline Library.

It was a good way to start the school year.