Hundreds of Warsaw Families Attend Tools for School Event
Students and families lined up outside Lakeview Middle School for Tools for School.
Text and Photos
By Madison Hart
InkFreeNews
WARSAW — Hundreds of families lined up outside of Lakeview Middle School for Tools for School on Wednesday, July 31.
Combined Community Services hosted the annual event, with the goal of ensuring children go back to school equipped with all the school supplies and resources necessary to have a successful year. CCS’s Ami Pitt, who’s ran this event for 29 years, said that she projected 1,500 kids would attend.
Each child was given a paper bag to fill with any school supplies needed for their grade level. Supplies included notebooks, pencils, crayons, binders, rulers, folders, erasers, glue, calculators and more.
“This event has a positive impact to get kids off to a positive start to the new school year. Having the resources launches them to success,” said Tracy Horrell, Warsaw assistant superintendent of secondary school.
Registration tables were set up for students and parents to register for the upcoming school year. The Warsaw Community Schools Welcome Center was also present to welcome new students to the Warsaw schools district.
Food services representatives had a booth to check eligibility for free and reduced lunches.
Free haircuts were available through Warsaw Area Career Center Cosmetology.
Over 1,600 pairs of shoes were donated and available for students to take. New underwear was also available.
Several organizations attended the event to provide additional resources for families. MDWise and CareSource were available to provide information about Medicaid enrollment and benefits. Child Care Resource Referral Network provided resources for affordable child care. The Nest offered information about mentors for moms. Warsaw Adult Education provided information about free GED and ELL classes. The Beaman Home was there with coloring pages depicting positive examples of friendships and providing parents with trauma resources.
Outside Lakeview where the families lined up, the Warsaw Inquiry Learning Lab and Good News Caboose parked and provided entertainment for kids. Inside, face painting and popcorn were offered.
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- From left, Cameron, Rhea, Harley and Lorali Beliles got their faces painted.
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- Warsaw Cosmetology provided students free haircuts.
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- The Learning Lab is a traveling STEM experience for students.
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- Lakeview student Abrahm Rodgers built a Lego animal habitat in the Learning Lab.
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- CCS’s Pat Schroeder and Zimmer Biomet volunteer Neli Presteguin hand out notebooks.
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- Students went down the line getting school supplies.
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- Gahel Nocelotl cuts Zane Rhamey’s hair.
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- Natalie Moore and Alanna Weidenbenner popped popcorn for students and their families.
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- Shoes and underwear were available.
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- The Good News Caboose played a short movie outside for the long lines of people waiting for Tools for School.
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- Tamika Saunders offered information about health insurance with the organization CareSource.
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- Isabella Staltari and Jenna Overmyer represented the Child Care Resource and Referral Network.
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- Leo, left, and Esteban Patiño provide information about adult education.
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- Nicole Klein offered information about mom mentors at The Nest.