Greene County Schools, Family Connection host Back 2 School Bash

The Greene County School System (GCSS) partnered with Greene County Family Connection Commission (GCFCC) to host a “Back 2 School Bash” last Saturday in the Greene County High School gym.

GCFCC Executive Director Targie Folds and Greene County High School Principal Eddie Hood were in charge of the event, which, according to Folds, delivered 609 free backpacks to students from pre-K to 12th grade. More than 30 local sponsors and vendors provided free school supplies to the kids.

“The event was awesome, as always,” Folds said. “Last year, attendance was down, but this year it looked like the attendance increased. It always makes me feel good, and it warms my heart to see the kids smile. I’m glad we were able to help prepare them to start back to school on Thursday.”

All of the Greene County High School fall sports teams and the Tigers’ marching band were at the event. The players and band members helped hand out backpacks and school supplies while also interacting with the younger students. It was a chance for the kids to meet their older peers and share a moment with them.

Hood was happy to see the community come together before the start of the new school year, especially as the high schoolers spread their “Tiger Pride” with the younger students at the elementary and middle school levels.

“It teaches our kids that service is good,” Hood said. “They helped pass out backpacks. So, they helped serve our community and that’s the kickoff for our school year, getting our sports teams to serve. By doing this, it gives the kids aspirations and there’s a sense of Greene County Tiger Pride.”

Folds also loved seeing that pride exemplified as the younger kids soaked in every minute of the excitement.

“It brings a smile to a small child’s face when they get a new book bag and see a football player or cheerleader,” she said. “Because you have so many smaller kids, that’s their vision [for when they grow up]. That’s what they want to do, to be a cheerleader or play football, especially the pre-K students, who just smile. They interact very well with the kids. It’s a joy for us to see them and for the band to perform. In the past, we haven’t had performances like this, so it was a good idea.”

According to Hood, GCSS and GCFCC have only partnered together for the past few years, but he hopes to keep up the alliance in the future.

“This is something that should continue,” Hood said. “It brings a lot of people together.”

Folds agreed and said she wants to see the event continue to grow. She loves seeing it make a positive impact on the community, especially before the start of such an important time of the year.

“Our goal is to improve the lives of children and families. We have monthly meetings where we discuss any issues around children and families in the community,” she said. “If there’s issues or problems going on, or if it’s a grant we need to apply for to assist families, or if we need to point them in the right direction for rent and utility assistance, things such as that, it’s what we do.”

While the GCFCC and school system provided backpacks, the sponsors and vendors gave the school supplies. They all set up tables around the gym for the parents and students to visit during the event.

“It’s all strictly donations,” Folds stressed. “We have a fundraiser every year in February called ‘Motown on Main.’ Those funds purchase those book bags. We also have donations from organizations in the community that donate every year to our back-to-school event. We purchase over 1,000 book bags and ask our sponsors that participate to bring school supplies for 800 students.”

Folds and Hood wanted to thank all those who helped with the event and donated supplies for the kids.

Among the sponsors at the back-to-school bash were: JayRay Trucking, Jeremy’s WingShack, Carol Kuhn, Family Ties BBQ & Seafood, Greene County Schools, the city of Greensboro, Home Depot, Georgia Power, the city of Union Point, Redeemer Episcopal Church, and Whitney Jones.

Vendors included: Historic Springfield Baptist Church, Economic Justice Coalition, FERST Readers, First Presbyterian Church-Greensboro, Greene County Department of Family & Children Services, Greene County Head Start, Greene County Library, Greensboro Police Department, Harris Snobiz, Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church, Lake Oconee Delta Sigma Theta, Oconee Valley Healthcare, Parent Mentor, GCSS Special Education, Teen Matters, The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds (Lake Oconee), The Victory Train, University of Georgia Center for Family Research, Pete Nance Boys & Girls Club, Boswell Chapel Baptist Church, Pearls of Wisdom and Grace Foundation Inc., Novelius, Iota Psi Omega Chapter-Empower our Families, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Greene County 4-H, GCSS, WrapAround, and Westlake Pipe.