LIHU‘E — Public schools are scheduled to open for the state’s Department of Education with Aug. 4 being the first day of school for students.
The closeness of that date combines with the economic uncertainties resulting from the novel coronavirus medical issue to generate a variety of Back to School events designed to equip students with adequate school supplies when they enter the school gates.
Topping the list of events is the Back to School Bash presented by Kaua‘i’s credit unions, the Kukui Grove Center, and a host of community sponsors. The free school supplies giveaway of 2,000 backpacks filled with a variety of school supplies will take place July 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kukui Grove Center in a socially-distant format in consideration of rules and guidelines established by COVID-19.
Pre-registration is highly encouraged by visiting the Kukui Grove Center website. With about a week remaining before the giveaway, Melissa McFerrin-Warrack, the Kukui Grove specialty leasing and events coordinator said there are already more than 800 students pre-registered for the new grade-appropriate backpacks.
Backpacks are available for students in kindergarten through Grade 5, and for student attending Grades 6 through 12 sponsored by the many partners involved with the Back to School Bash. McFerrin-Warrack said there is still room for more community sponsors who want to make a difference in getting school students ready to tackle the 2020-2021 school year.
On July 19, the Kaua‘i Bible Church with Pastor Aaron Chidester will host its Back to School Sunday where 75 backpacks of school supplies will be presented to families in need. This is in addition to the celebration of students “graduating” from kindergarten, Grade 5, Grade 8, high school, and college with prayer and blessings in the Kaua‘i Bible Church open field located immediately across the Oma‘o Road intersection with Kaumuali‘i Highway.
Free Ono Pops will be available for all keiki courtesy of the Kaua‘i Bible Church at the service which runs from 9:30 to 11 a.m., and free food for families in need will also be available.
The Salvation Army is also seeking back-to-school supplies for keiki-in-need with a supply drive being held across the state that started in July and will continue through August.
On Kaua‘i, the school supplies drive is being held at the Salvation Army, Hanapepe Corps, located next to the Hanapepe Neighborhood Center and the Hanapepe Stadium. The drive will continue through July 24 with contributions being accepted Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Some of the most requested items include backpacks, colored markers, colored pencils, composition notebooks, crayons, erasers, facial tissue, glue, glue sticks, highlighters, school boxes, paper towels, pencils, pencil pouches, pens in black, blue, and red, portfolios, rulers, scissors, small calculators, and wide-ruled filler paper.
The Salvation Army, Lihu‘e Corps will have its supply drive announced at a later date.
“We encourage our island communities to step up and help our keiki-in-need as families begin preparations for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year,” said Major Jeff Martin, the divisional leader of The Salvation Army Hawaiian and Pacific Islands. “The cost of many items on traditional back-to-school lists can be out of reach for many families. Our goal is to help make sure each keiki has the supplies they need to succeed.”
Stacie Chiba Miguel of The Kaua‘i Guild, more affectionately known as Guildas, said every child deserves to attend school equipped with proper supplies. The Guildas, the fundraising arm of the Child &Family Services, are the driving force of the Backpack Brigade that started on Kaua‘i in 2007 and is now being launched statewide through CFS,
The Backpack Brigade compiles a list of keiki needing school supplies through the CFS staff, and the Guildas shop and search to fill those needs with the help of donations that can either be monetary, or “adopting” a keiki in need.
For more information, call CFS at (808) 543-8413.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
