NAACP hosts back to school event this Saturday

LAURINBURG — The Scotland County Branch of the NAACP will host its annual Back to School Stay In School event this Saturday at Scotland High School.

This is a drive-through event where local students, from kindergarten to high school can receive school supplies for the upcoming school year.

This year marks 20 years of the event, said NAACP president Herman Tyson.

“It was started by past president, now state representative Garland Pierce and it has had extremely good growth under committee chair Alexis Tyson and her team of volunteers.”

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., while supplies lasts. Tyson said the group will be handing out over 1,500 backpacks, notebooks and other supplies students need.

The Scotland County Health Department will be on hand to administer COVID-19 vaccines to students, Tyson said. “They will be available to parents who want to take advantage of it,” he said.

This year, back-to-school events are especially crucial to the community.The National Retail Federation said families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $864 on school supplies, $168 more than in 2019.

“With the current times that we’re going through with inflation, still dealing with COVID and the job loss in the county, and just adverse situations that affect each family, we’re able with the support of our sponsors to encourage and give the needed school supplies for our students,” Tyson said.

In order to get the school supplies, the students must be with the parents, Tyson said. “That is the only prerequisite we have.”

Tyson said this event is a way to give back to the community. “We know that there is a need in our community and we just want to be that helping hand. We are here to support and serve our community and we look forward to everyone coming out.”

Pierce said he’s proud to see this event still going strong after two decades.

“It grew from Bright Hope Missionary Baptist Church and I think the first time we had it, we had about 300 boys and girls. We filled the church up, it was a great day. It’s grown to the level where we are at the present time. And I’m thankful for the current leadership for carrying this very important mission of the NAACP forward,” he said.