The best part of the annual Back to School event is seeing the children’s smiling faces, said State Rep. Mike Sturla.
It was “like Christmas in August,” he said, as they got everything they needed for a good start to the new school year.
The 13th edition of the Back to School event took place Sunday at Clipper Magazine Stadium and was the largest ever. More than 2,000 students registered in advance; hundreds more signed up spontaneously on Sunday, organizers said, bringing the total number of participants to nearly 3,000 children and their parents and caregivers.
They crowded the stadium concourse, where more than 300 volunteers distributed school supplies: backpacks, school uniforms, shoes, books and more. Students got free haircuts, ate free food, tried out musical instruments, played games and more.
Despite overcast skies, there was little rain throughout the afternoon, apart from a few drops here and there. The day ended with free admission to the Lancaster Stormers game against the Staten Island Ferry Hawks.
The event was organized and coordinated by the offices of Sturla and State Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade El, whose districts collectively comprise the Lancaster School District. They also represent parts of three other districts, Hempfield, Manheim Township and Penn Manor, whose students were also invited to participate. Students in kindergarten through 8th grade are eligible to participate.
Smith-Wade-El’s office participated in the Back to School event last year and became an official co-host this year.
“Mike and I talk a lot about education,” he said. The Back to School event provides an opportunity to “not only say we want your children’s home schooling to be fully funded, but we want them to go back to school with everything they need.”
In total, well over 80 businesses and community organizations participated. United Way of Lancaster County helped coordinate the many volunteers who helped with sorting and packing, transporting, distributing and cleanup.
“It’s great to see the community supporting our most precious asset: our children,” said Kate Zimmerman, president of United Way. “… We’re just proud to be a part of it.”
Sturla remembers the first year of the event well. He arrived an hour early and saw a long line of parents and children stretching around the block, hoping to receive one of the 150 backpacks his office was able to donate. His team handed them out, collected the names of everyone who didn’t get one, and then made sure they all got one, too.
From there, the event grew. The sixth edition was the first to be held at Clipper Magazine Stadium. During the pandemic, it was reorganized as a drive-through event to ensure that children could still get the materials they needed.
Parents are sometimes moved to tears by the generosity, said Sturla: “But their children deserve it. And they are so grateful.”
This year’s event will be Sturla’s last: He is retiring at the end of the legislative session. Nikki Rivera, a teacher at a Warwick school and president of the Manheim Township school board, will take his place on the Democratic ticket in the Nov. 5 election, running against Republican Eric Beezer.
Smith-Wade-El said his team looks forward to working with Sturla’s successor to continue growing the event.
Sturla thanked everyone who contributed their time, money or donations in kind to improving the lives of the children.
“There’s just a lot of community effort and spirit here,” he said.
