Family fun at center of Toronto’s first Back-to-School Bash event

TORONTO -- The start of the new school year was kicked off for Toronto City Schools with a Back-to-School Bash Wednesday that offered a lot for students and their families to see and do.

Superintendent Maureen Taggart said in the past, individual schools had held their own events, but this was the first year for one to be held for all students.

She noted the event was organized by Lori Rawson, assistant principal of Toronto Elementary School, with support from other administrators and staff, including Annie Silverthorn, principal of the elementary school, and Betsy Jones, principal of Toronto Junior-Senior High School.

Spread around the parking lot and grounds of the complex that houses both schools were booths where staff and volunteers distributed school supplies to students and shared information with their families.

There also were two large inflatable attractions for children to climb, a clown twisting balloons into animal shapes, a Nerf battlefield set up on the school's ball field by members of Crossroads Christian North River Church and other games and activities.

Members of the church told attendees about its afterschool program and invited them to a party at the city's swimming pool after the event.

Also sharing information was Amy Rice, director of the Helping Hands food pantry, which currently serves about 253 families in Jefferson County,

Rice said through the generosity of various businesses, groups and citizens, the charity is able to provide nonperishable food and personal hygiene products on a monthly basis and bread and pastries each week.

She added fresh produce also is available from the summer through October.

Anyone needing assistance may call the pantry at (740) 632-6595.

Prevention educator Hunter Sistilli fielded questions about the Family Recovery Center, a nonprofit organization that offers mental health and substance abuse counseling for youth and adults, drug abuse prevention programs for students in all grades, and through its youth coalition, year-round activities for Jefferson and Columbiana county students in grades 9-12.

He said the activities include various outings, a monthly community service project and a summer camp at Elkhorn Valley that has included relay races and other events inspired by the Olympics, yoga sessions and bonfires as well as talks on good mental health.

Shelley Mann, nutrition director for the school district, invited visitors to apply for free or reduced breakfasts and lunches.

The school district offers free meals for all students, but the applications may help it to continue to do so by tracking the number of families in financial need.

As an incentive, visitors to the booth were entered into a free drawing for three gift baskets containing various school supplies, including a bluetooth speaker.

Many booths at the bash, including a few staffed by local businesses, included free drawings.

Several sports teams and clubs sold items bearing the schools' Red Knight mascot (who also was on hand in the person of Nathan Jones) or offered free games or other activities for visitors.

Many children won small prizes by playing the Plinko game set up by members of the National Honors Society or Beta Club, the latter a similar honors society that also stresses community service while being open to grades 9-12.

The Red Knight Marching Band opened the festivities with a performance, and Rich Coburn, the high school's communications instructor, played music and introduced the various sports teams and their coaches.

Taggart said of the event, "It's just a wonderful opportunity to educate the public about the services available to them and the city's small local businesses."

"We're very excited to welcome everyone back," she said.