ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A drawstring backpack. A plastic travel squeeze bottle. Sunglasses. Lip balm. Rubber bracelets. Pencils.
At first blush, such giveaways don’t seem like much.
Unless you don’t have much.
Kayla Sagastume was thankful. She stood in line with hundreds of other parents and children eagerly waiting to get those trinkets on a weather-perfect Tuesday at the OneAllentown Back-to-School Bash at Cedar Beach Park.
At Sagastume’s side were her three children: Fourth-grade twins Joslyn and Josephine and fifth-grader Cecilia. She was asked her impressions of the day.
“I just hope the school district knows just how much this helps many of us.”Kayla Sagastume, parent, Allentown School District
“When you are a low-income family, getting these things for free is so helpful,” Sagastume said, drawing her girls closer to her.
“When you have three kids, having to worry about buying these things stresses my budget.”
Sagastume paused, letting the emotion pass from her throat to her welling-up eyes, and said:
“I just hope the school district knows just how much this helps many of us.”
It does.
'Know the district cares about you'
The bash attracted more than 8,000 people to celebrate not only the impending start of the 2024-25 school year in the Allentown School District, but to build and strengthen community partnerships.
It was a festival of food and drink, games, free haircuts, free vision and dental exams, free immunizations, and kiosks with information about recycling, voter registration, child care, tech school, career links and other community services.
“We want the families in our school district to know we support them.”Allentown Schools Superintendent Carol D. Birks
“This is just a great way of starting the school year, to get everyone feeling really excited about all the possibilities for all of our children,” Allentown Schools Superintendent Carol D. Birks said.
“This is our collective community — families, students, staff and administration — providing more resources the district is offering, such as tutoring and mental health support.
“We want the families in our school district to know we support them.”
While the bash kicked off the start of the coming school year, it also gave some parents a look back at the summer drawing to a close.
Victoria Velasquez is the mother of a kindergarten and second grade pupil. She welcomed the new school year with open arms.
“Sometimes, it’s challenging finding things for the kids to do all summer,” she said.
“Sometimes, it was getting them to the pool. Other times it was just getting them to play outdoors. Now, school will keep them busy.”
But Velasquez also was appreciative of the concern shown by the school district.
“Having a day like this is so thoughtful,” she said. “It’s a nice event to just feel good, be around other families and know the district cares about you.”
An infectious festival
The festival atmosphere was infectious.
Children played tennis and basketball. Some played games at various kiosks. Some younger children climbed into inflatable hamster balls and rolled until dizziness caused them to screech on their brakes.
But as much as fun was a key ingredient, parents by and large expressed gratitude for a school district that opened its heart two weeks before their children would open their books.
When it comes to relating to many families needing every bit of help to make ends meet, Birks said she can relate.
Her late mother was a domestic worker who enriched her daughter with the importance of education.
"It's what we do here."Allentown Schools Superintendent Carol D. Birks
Birks was told about Sagastume’s praise for the event, including how the woman said she would explain to her children the outreach displayed by the school district.
She called it a teaching moment — with teaching being the operative word. Sagastume is taking online classes with a dream to become a teacher.
Birks was moved by the woman’s story.
“I’d like her name so I can reach out and thank her,” she said. “And maybe we can help her on her teaching journey. We can help her.
“It’s what we do here.”
