43
Back to School Kickoff: Book Bag Giveaway
By Sean Barron
YOUNGSTOWN
A single sen- tence that 8-year-old Nahzyia Moses uttered may carry simplicity on the surface, but it goes a long way toward expressing what many school officials, education proponents and others hope students in the Youngstown City Schools will achieve this year – as well as the district itself.
“I’m excited about school!” said Nahzyia, who attends St. Joseph the Provider School here. “I want to learn and meet new friends and have fun.”
Even though it’s more than a week before the youngster will see the inside of her classroom, suffice it to say her school year has already gotten off to a good start. That’s because she was among the eligible city elementary-, middle- and high-school students who received a variety of school supplies during Saturday’s annual Back to School Kickoff & Book Bag Giveaway at the Covelli Centre downtown.
Close to 2,000 bookbags for children of all grades contained school supplies such as notebooks, binders, pens and pencils, notebook paper, index cards, crayons, markers, rulers, erasers and glue sticks. The two-hour distribution was largely to assist with getting the students’ school year off to a positive start while demonstrating community support for them, organizers said.
Key partners in the effort were Youngstown City Schools, the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence and NOW Youngstown, a faith-based organization that takes part in many efforts to bring peace and hope to the city’s high-crime neighborhoods.
Nahzyia’s 10-year-old brother, Jykiese Moses, who also attends St. Joseph the Provider, said he also is looking forward to the start of school. His summer consisted partly of playing games and spending time at the city’s North Side Pool, he said.
“I feel good and happy,” Jykiese added.
Also ready for a return to the classroom is the youngsters’ older sister, Janiyra Mitchell, 12, a student at Rayen Early College. Helping to reinforce that feeling was the bright bookbag she took home.
Happy to be among those who participated in the giveaway event were volunteers Ryan Story, a NOW Youngstown member, and Sumeera Murad of Austintown, a Youngstown State University pre-med major.
“It’s a great way to get involved in the community. We want to do everything we can to make a positive difference,” Story explained, adding he was grateful to help youngsters who otherwise might not have had the necessary supplies.
“I like to help others for the same reason I want to be a doctor,” Murad said.
The start of school brings renewed excitement as well as certain new and continued expectations and goals for many students, parents and faculty members. It is also hoped that stepped-up efforts will be underway in the 2016-17 school year to help turn the district around, said Monique Backus, the mother of Nahzyia, Jykiese and Janiyra.
“I think it first needs to begin at home with the parents and for them to meet the schools halfway,” Backus said, adding she also hopes to see a greater number of parents at teachers’ meetings, more proactivity concerning students’ quality of education and a more concentrated focus on tutoring struggling students so they can maintain good grades.
Echoing those sentiments was Krish Mohip, the YCS’ new chief executive officer, who reminded attendees that school starts in the city Aug. 22 and that he wants to see “100 percent of our students in school.”
If the district is to make significant gains, it must fall to the entire city and beyond to believe in and support the students. In addition, they must have the tools to ensure their success, he said.
“I have high expectations of the students, but we need parents, grandparents, social-services agencies and those in the suburbs to stand behind these kids,” Mohip said, adding later: “We have to be responsible for their success and courageous enough to say, ‘We will fix this together.’”
Another important component is joining with those who are committed to stopping the violence in the city, noted William “Guy” Burney, CIRV’s coordinator.
“A lot of times we say, ‘Keep the peace.’ I’m challenging you to make the peace,” Burney told the crowd of a few thousand.
Making additional remarks were Madonna Chism Pinkard, community-relations director for 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner; Mayor John A. McNally; and a recruiter from Eastern Gateway Community College.
The giveaway also included brochures on child care and after-school programs, offerings from the Youngstown City Health Department, the Mahoning Valley College Access Program and the Mahoning County Child Support Agency, and information pertaining to a “March 4 Hope Rally,” set for Aug. 21 at East High School.
Music, inspirational messages, carnival food and a variety of games and activities for children also were part of the festivities.