A volunteer gave out backpacks to children today at the annual Back-to-School Fair at Kansas City Kansas Community College. The fair also was held at another location, the Boys and Girls Club in Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
by Mary Rupert
Thousands of Wyandotte County students will be ready for the first day of school, thanks to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers today at the Wyandotte County Back-to-School Fair.
The Back-to-School Fair was held Saturday morning at Kansas City Kansas Community College and the Boys and Girls Club of Wyandotte County.
Andrica Wilcoxen, director of student activities at KCKCC, said the turnout this morning was great.
“We have supplies for 5,000 students in Wyandotte County, with backpacks filled with school supplies, for prekindergarten to 12th grade students,” she said.
“’Every child ready Day One’ is our slogan,” she said. It is a positive and empowering event for everyone involved, she said.
Kids who go to school with all the supplies and everything they need the first day tend to be more successful and have less behavioral problems in school, she said. It’s also better for the parents, as it prevents parents from feeling embarrassed at not having everything ready for the children, which in turn could lead to parents staying away from interacting with teachers and school groups. If the kids are ready the first day of school, the parents are more likely to be connected, she said.
The fair was for all children in Wyandotte County. The first day of school in the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools is Aug. 10 for prekindergarten to fifth grade, sixth grade and ninth grade students and Aug. 11 for all other students in the district.
The fair also included free sports physicals, vision screening, dental screening, and immunizations. There was also a free lunch for everyone attending. There were 70 exhibitors providing information from the community, Wilcoxen said. Some included free resources and giveaways.
The fair’s major sponsors were the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools, Kansas City Kansas Community College and the Board of Public Utilities, and it also had many other sponsors and volunteers, Wilcoxen said.
The event is run by community volunteers from different organizations across Wyandotte County, who come together to make this happen, Wilcoxen said. They are volunteering their time on top of their regular jobs, she added.
She particularly cited Arlana Coleman, chairman of the Back-to-School Fair, as having volunteered the most hours for this effort.
State Sen. Pat Pettey, a retired teacher in the Turner Public Schools, helped distribute backpacks today at the annual Back-to-School Fair. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
Children attending the Back-to-School Fair today could receive free books from the Kansas City, Kan., Public Library. Staffing a booth for the library, at the KCKCC fair location, were Maria Munoz and Joseph Smith, from the West Wyandotte Library branch. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
Children attending the Back-to-School Fair today could receive free books from the Kansas City, Kan., Public Library. Staffing a booth for the library, at the KCKCC fair location, were Maria Munoz and Joseph Smith, from the West Wyandotte Library branch. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
Connor Clarkston, left, and Abbey Elsbernd, first-year medical students at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, were among the volunteers today at the annual Back-to-School Fair at KCKCC. The volunteers helped with taking patient histories and physicals. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
Regina McKinney, right, was handing out information about the KidZone before- and after-school enrichment program today at the annual Back-to-School Fair at KCKCC. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
The Healthy Communities Wyandotte coalition and the Wyandotte County Health Department were promiting the “1-2-3-4-5 Fit-tastic” program Saturday at the annual Back-to-School Fair at KCKCC. Staffing the table were Joanna Sabally, left, program coordinator Healthy Communities Wyandotte, and Danielle Landrum, healthy food access advocate for Healthy Communities Wyandotte. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
