Hartford Church in Detroit joins rally to prepare young students for the upcoming school year

By Laydell Wood Harper/Tell Us Detroit

DETROIT (Tell Us Det) - “We’ve got a lot of new things for parents this year,” said Roy Roberts, DPS Emergency Financial Manager, to a packed to capacity crowd at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church. “We’re not going to do necessarily what happened last year or the year before. We’re going to make things better. We’re going to take those things that were really good and make them better for parents. We’ve got all the languages for kids (9 different languages)…We’re going to make sure we teach more math and more reading, more core classes. And, we are going to push all the kids to a higher level of performance.”

Roberts continues to speak to the cheering crowd, “We’ve got 10 new state of the arts school buildings, and schools with major renovations opening this year. And, Notebooks, 40,000 of them for students in grades 6 through 12. And we’ve got business partners for every school ready to raise student achievement. And, many more people lined up saying we want to help. We want to make this the best school system we can make it.”

The Hartford Back to School Rally was fun, educational and all about Kids, and getting them excited about school and learning. Free Haircuts for boys, free beauty salon certificates for girls, bicycles, computers, and $50 gift vouchers….everything kids will need to go back to school with a smile, a positive attitude and ready to learn.

More than 500 enthusiastic students and parents attended the event. Students had to be accompanied by a parent to participate, but the event offered something for everyone including parents….Valuable prizes, Food, and workshops. The workshops were mandatory. Students and parents were required to attend the morning workshops before receiving back-packs loaded with much needed school supplies, and to be eligible for prizes.

The workshops gave students and parents an opportunity to learn together about important topics to help them both get through the coming school year armed with valuable new information; helpful information that will help off-set some of the problems that can and will arise. The workshops were interactive and taught by trained professionals. Some of the important discussion topics included; Cyber Bullying, Healthy Eating for Families, Academic Strategies for Students, Financial Aid, Scholarships and more. This event was so much more than giving school supplies to needy students. Hartford uses this opportunity to give back to the community in a big way.

Roy Roberts, brought with him a DPS bus loaded with DPS managers all wearing their blue “I’m In” T-shirts. Roberts took an active role at the event shaking hands, meeting parents and students, visiting the workshops, and taking pictures with students and their families. Students were excited to see Roberts and have an opportunity to meet him. He later took the microphone at the closing assembly to briefly speak to the crowd, and call out the winning numbers for prizes.

Screaming, enthusiastic kids won bikes, computers, and $50 vouchers. One 11 year old was so excited that he won a bike he couldn’t contain himself, “I just won the Coca Cola Bike,” said Eric Davidson. “Will you take a picture of me and my new bike,” he said as he ran up to a photographer. Ella Nichelson, a teenager, was also a lucky bicycle winner. The excitement filled the room as kids of all ages ran up to the stage to claim their prizes and celebrate the event.

Pop-eye’s chicken, a new partner at the Rally this year donated 10 shiny new bicycles. Radio One 105.9 Radio was there with entertainment, Detroit Police Dept., the Fire Dept. brought a fire truck and conducted a great exhibit for kids on what to do and what not to do in case of fire. Fifth Third Bank brought their “Empowering Communities Bus” equipped with computers to do on the spot credit reports and answer banking questions. Others included: Comerica Bank, and Tax payer Advocate Service, and a mobile Dentist that offered dental check-ups.

Hartford Memorial Baptist Church offers regular programs and events for children and teens. For more information visit the website at www.Hartfordchurchdetroit.org