BTWCSC Youth Goes Back to School

30 Aug BTWCSC Youth Goes Back to School

Posted at 21:39h in Whats New by Dominic Dorsey 0 Comments

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Youth at Booker T., are gearing up for a new school year! And we are excited for them to share their new experiences and learnings from their busy, fun-filled summer at the Center. This time of year, we also like to remind our community that it is normal to feel stress while shifting routines in preparation for fall. According to a survey conducted by Delottie Insights, 33% of parents with school-aged children said their household financial situation worsened since last year, and 36% are concerned about making upcoming school-related payments.

We know these feelings are not foreign to our community, so we make sure to align our programs and services to help make the back to school season a little easier for both young people and families.

Supplies Needed to Thrive

According to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, families with school-aged children averaged more than $840 on school supplies last year. As that number steadily increases each year, children and families are often faced with the difficult decision to choose essential items such as food and housing over school supplies that their child needs to be successful in the classroom.

We provided free backpacks, school supplies, PPE, N-95 masks, and COVID-19 antigen tests to over 500 families for the new school year. We also worked with our community leaders in the Fillmore to support multiple housing sites at Hayes Valley Apartments, Marcus Garvey/MLK Square Co-op Apts, Robert B. Pitts Homes and Plaza East Apartments to prepare our youth for back to school. We would also like to thank our Summer Teen Cohort, Board President, Roger Mohammed and Board Secretary Stephanie Tomao, and our BTW Senior Advisory Council for volunteering and helping us pack and distribute hundreds of backpacks. Sponsorship for our Back to School Drive was generously provided by Comerica Bank.

Teacher Spotlight: After School Programming Kick Off

We are excited for our youth to not only start a new school year, but begin the year with fun after school activities that encourage creativity and boost confidence. We have a calendar full of events, trips and activities – and our teachers are ready to welcome the youth back into their classrooms at the Center. If you are interested in signing your child up for an after school program, you can also apply here!

Our doors are opening soon to youth and teens, so we thought an introduction to some of our staff here at the Center was due. Let’s get to know them a little better!