LAURINBURG — More than 1,500 students in Scotland County will head back to school this fall equipped with needed supplies.
The NAACP annual Back to School — Stay in School program is a free backpack and school supply distribution that will take place Aug. 19 at Scotland High School.
This year’s effort got an assist through a $2,000 donation by AT&T. State Rep. Garland Pierce, a former Scotland County NAACP branch president, accompanied John Lyon, AT&T regional director of external affairs, to present the donation to Tony Spaulding, an NAACP vice president.
The gift will help provide basic school supplies such as folders, pencils, paper, erasers and notebooks.
“I think AT&T’s contribution is significant and we have partnered with them for the last decade,” Spaulding said. “Their donation makes up to 30-40 percent of what we raise for Back to School — Stay in School. It has served 700 students, 800, and another year almost a thousand at its peak. It goes a long way.”
The program will also offer exposure to the STEM curriculum and health eating. The NAACP is partnering with the Scotland County School System and will have the county’s STEM bus on site as well as fresh fruit the students can take home with them after the event.
The NAACP plans to exceed last year’s total and supply 2,000 students with supplies for the 2017-18 school year. The civil rights group is looking for other sponsors and donors.
“A child who begins a new school year without basic supplies is behind their peers before the first quiz is ever given,” Pierce said. “It is exciting to see how the community comes together each year through this program to help ensure that all students have the tools needed to learn and success in the classroom.”
The first program kicked off with about 300 students being served at Bright Hopewell Church. Participation since then has more than tripled.
“At AT&T, we have a long history of supporting education,” Lyon said. “We also believe that there is no better way to support a community than by supporting the education of its children. We are pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this life changing program.”
For information about supporting the program, contact the Scotland County NAACP President Herman Tyson at 910-373-5663 or send an email to [email protected].