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Community plans back to school event
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
Ensuring the success of schoolchildren takes a community effort.
That’s the idea behind Youngstown City School District’s “The Total Package” Back to School kickoff planned for noon to 4 p.m. Aug. 23 at the Judge William Rayen Stadium on Benita Avenue.
“It’s a back-to-school celebration,” said Superintendent Connie Hathorn. “It’s going to be a lot of fun for students. It’s all about the students.”
The event is presented in partnership with NOW Youngstown and the city.
Mayor John McNally said several city departments will attend the event and Youngstown State University President Jim Tressel is scheduled to speak.
“It’s another way for the city to work with Dr. Hathorn, with staff and with board members,” the mayor said.
NOW Youngstown, a faith-based group, has conducted the back-to-school annually for years, but this year teamed with the school district to do it.
“We came to the same thing: our kids having opportunity,” said Al Yanno, a pastor and part of NOW Youngstown. “We want to see our young people graduate and have opportunity in life.”
The organization sponsors Increase the Peace rallies.
“We believe when you have peace on the inside, you’ll have peace on the outside,” Pastor Yanno said.
McNally said organizers are hoping for 4,000 to 5,000 people at the event
“The Total Package is Youngstown City Schools,” he said.
The event includes free book bags filled with school supplies while supplies last. Registration for the bags begins at 10 a.m. and students must be present.
Bounce houses, face painting, games, prizes, hot dogs, snow cones and popcorn are included.
School principals and administrators will attend to provide information about the schools and school programs. Social and health agencies also are part of the event to distribute information and a variety of musical genres — much of it performed by city school graduates will be part of the festivities.
An area favorite, Youngstown’s Total Package Band, is scheduled to perform from 3 to 4 p.m.
State Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, believes the success of the school district is a group effort.
“There has to be an all-hands-on-deck approach to this,” he said.
Community Busing will provide shuttles to pick up and return people to the stadium beginning at 9 a.m. Pickup locations are the board of education office, 20 W. Wood St., Chaney Campus on South Hazelwood Avenue, East High School on Bennington Avenue and Wilson Programs of Promise on Gibson Street.
The shuttle will run every half-hour through 5 p.m.