Local groups easing back to school blues

August 09, 2007 07:58 pm

— 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.
“In the State of Texas last year, it cost tax payers $319 million for children skipping school,” Gillam said. “I just want students to realize that they can get a quality education in Port Arthur and they can be productive. They just have to go to class.”
Representatives from the Port Arthur Health Department will also attend the back to school event, providing students with immunizations.

Other back to school happenings include:
• Youth Roundup, 1-3 p.m. Saturday, at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 821 Texas Ave. in Port Arthur. Door prizes and a free lunch will be provided. Presenters include Wiley College Criminal Justice Professor Tracy Andrus and Port Arthur attorney Langston Adams.
Adams and Andrus will discuss alcohol and drug use, anger management, peer pressure, truancy and the effects of being incarcerated, among other topics.
• Middle School Orientation, 2 p.m. Sunday, at Groves First United Methodist Church, 6501 Washington Blvd. Charles Jehlen, principal of Central Middle School in Nederland, and Ken Cummings, principal of Groves Middle School, will speak.
Popcorn and a movie will follow. Call 962-1076 for more information.
• Back to School Gospel Explosion, 6 p.m. Saturday, at Allison Chapel Church of God in Christ, 1248 Woodworth Blvd. in Port Arthur. All praise dance teams, drill teams, praise team singers and choirs are invited to attend.
For more information, call Mildred Malveaux at 983-7635.
• Back to School Health Fair, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, in the Nederland High School cafeteria, Spurlock Road and 18th Street. Vision, hearing, immunizations, fingerprinting, free and reduced meal applications, C.H.I.P.S. insurance information, face painting, height and weight measurements, safety information, Christus Ask-a-Doc and free haircuts are just a few of the services provided.
For more information contact Gail Krohn, NISD superintendent, at 724-2391, ext. 1201.
• Fill the Blue Bus, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, in the Office Depot Parking lot, 8455 Memorial Blvd. in Port Arthur. The Port Arthur Police Association will accept school supply donations in their attempt to Fill the Blue Bus.
Links and drinks will be sold and donors will have an opportunity to dunk a cop. There will be a guest appearance in the dunking booth by Officer Ricky Antoine.
• Youth Explosion 2007, 7 p.m. Aug. 22-Aug. 25, at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center. The Youth Ministerial Alliance will host a 2007 Youth Explosion.
The event will include a City Wide Praise Dance, Mime and City Wide Choir. Also, from noon to 5 p.m. Aug. 25, there will be a special event at Gillam Circle. A workshop will be held for persons interested in being part of the praise dance, mime or choir at 6 p.m. Aug. 13-Aug. 17, at Eastern Star Baptist Church, 548 15th St.
For more information, call the Rev. Kurt Washington at 982-1363, the Rev. Lloyd Scott at 982-2193 or the Rev. Brian Washington at 960-2199.
Please send information about church, civic or charity back to school events to panews@panews.com or fax to 724-6854.

Photos

Marcus Parker, Port Arthur native and author of ‘The Product,’ will speak to school age children at the Third Annual Back to School Youth Empowerment event this Saturday.