LIHUE — The first day back to school for public school students is Aug. 7, according to the state Department of Education calendar. All students will have the chance to score some free school supplies Saturday. Kukui Grove Center will
LIHUE — The first day back to school for public school students is Aug. 7, according to the state Department of Education calendar.
All students will have the chance to score some free school supplies Saturday.
Kukui Grove Center will host its Third annual Back to School Bash Saturday, with registration starting at 9 a.m. and the event continuing through 2 p.m. at the center stage area in the food court.
Equipping students with the basic materials needed to return to school can become pricey, and the Back to School Bash helps people cope with the costs of getting students ready for the classroom.
“This is a non-qualifying event,” said Stacie Chiba Miguel, Kukui Grove real estate manager. “This means that any student in public, private or charter school is eligible to come pick up a free package of school supplies. They do need to come and register, but the package is at no cost to them or their families.”
Supplies for this year’s event arrived via a Pacific Concrete Cutting and Coring trailer Tuesday morning, and packing of the individual packages is scheduled today ahead of the Saturday giveaway.
“Last year, we packed 1,700 packages which were all distributed,” Chiba Miguel said. “This year, we plan on packing 1,800 packages to be given out while supplies last on Saturday.”
The basic package may not fulfill a school’s specific needs, but contains the necessities needed to get a student started in school. Each package is anticipated to contain composition notebooks, a folder with prongs, markers, crayons, pencils, highlighters, a pencil binder case, notebook, erasers, filler paper, a one-inch binder and Elmer’s white glue.
“I was wondering when this year’s event was going to be,” said a security guard who watched the unloading of supplies that arrived on 11 pallets. “I brought my children the last two years. It helps our family because we have several children in school, and school supplies — especially when you have several children — can add up quickly.”
Chiba Miguel said in addition to the giveaway, there will be mall-wide back-to-school sales, a keiki fun zone, a community resource fair, a health fair, and entertainment from Jeremiah Garcia, Bandwagon Music and Showtime Characters. Between all of the activity, there will bingo games with a grand prize of a $250 Kukui Grove shopping spree.
DOE school teachers will also be going back to on Aug. 1, and Kumu’s Cupboard at Kukui Grove, a free educator resource center, began offering extended hours Monday to allow educators to ready their classrooms. On July 24, 26 and 31, Kumu’s Cupboard, located across from the Bread and Deli Connection, will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
On July 25, Kumu’s Cupboard will be open from 1 to 7 p.m. Regular hours will be observed during the weekends.
