By Ashley Sanders

The News staff writer

It’s almost time to head back to school. But for many Southeast Texas children, the first day of school jitters are often heightened by an embarrassment of not having the proper supplies.

Several Port Arthur organizations are working hard this weekend, however, to relieve a bit of that stress for both parents and students.

Precinct 8 Justice of the Peace Tom Gillam and the City of Port Arthur Community Prosecution Program will provide enough supplies for 300 children during the Third Annual Back to School Youth Empowerment event.

The back to school drive will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, at Shilo Baptist Church, 1725 Bluebonnet Ave. in Port Arthur.

Val Tizeno, assistant city attorney for Port Arthur, said the first 300 kids to arrive at the Empowerment event will receive school supplies and a hot dog lunch.

“We are giving away rulers, crayons, notebook paper, folders, pencils, pens, coloring pencils, erasers and Kleenex,” Tizeno reported. “Additionally, we will play games and award 50 new backpacks and 15 school uniform vouchers to students with winning answers.”

Eddie Eagle is also expected to stop off at the event to encourage kids to stay away from guns, and the Port Arthur Police Department will have representatives on hand to discuss the dangers of street gangs, Tizeno noted.

“We want to assist kids in preparing for school,” she said. “We want them to focus on keeping things positive and we want them to have the school supplies they need to succeed in the classroom.”

Tizeno said she was most excited about the motivational speaker lined up to talk to the students about how to achieve and dream big.

“We have Marcus Parker, who is a Port Arthur native and author of ‘The Product,’ coming to speak to the students,” she said. “I am just so excited. I think the kids are really going to enjoy his message.”

Gillam said he hopes parents will also leave with an important message.

“The basis of this event is we are going to do a lot of education for parents and students alike,” Gillam said. “We are going to discuss the laws of attending school and we are going to be talking about disorderly conduct. Hopefully we can reduce the number of children getting into trouble.”

According to Gillam, children who regularly miss school are 75 percent more likely to commit a crime than those students who go to school every day.