August 24, 2022
Prince George County's Back to School Fair returned to Scott Memorial Park on Thursday, August 18, providing valuable resources and information to Prince George County Public Schools students and their families as the start of the new school year approaches.
MORE PHOTOS: PGCPS on Flickr
This county-hosted event returned to Scott Memorial Park for the first time since 2020 after the event was canceled that year due to COVID-19. In 2021, a modified drive-thru-style event was held at Prince George High School. Last week, hundreds of people flocked to the park and pavilion area for an afternoon of family-friendly fun featuring a variety of county and school division departments and agencies, along with community organizations, gathered to provide beneficial information to attendees.
The district's Food and Nutrition Services department was on hand, sharing information about free and reduced-cost meals applications, along with Student Services and several community organizations, including the Prince George Police Department, Fire and EMS, and Department of Social Services. Young students could even tour a school bus and receive safety tips to be ready for their journey to and from school next month.
The community donated thousands of school supplies and hundreds of backpacks during the summer ahead of the Back-to-School Fair. A dedicated group of volunteers sorted those supplies, including Prince George High School cheerleaders and football players, and filled the over 700 backpacks distributed to students at the fair. During the event, Prince George students were also given book bags full of supplies and other necessities to start the year off positively when schools open on September 6. The remaining backpacks will be provided to schools for those students who may need assistance as the new school year gets underway.
One of this event's strengths is its overwhelming support from the community, offering their time and talents to help make the Back-to-School Fair a late-summer tradition in Prince George County. Over 150 volunteers, including school district athletes, county and PGCPS employees, and individuals from local organizations, all worked collaboratively to make this year's fair a success for Prince George families.
Prince George County Public Schools thanks the Prince George Department of Social Services and Prince George County for their continued support of the Back-To-School Fair. Their efforts, paired with the generosity of the Prince George community, help make the Back-To-School Fair the success it has been since its inception.