Festival gets pupils pumped for school
Columbia County rallied parents and children Saturday in preparation for the start of a new school year with the school system's annual Back-To-School Festival.
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Columbia County Assistant Transportation Director Shirley Doolittle demonstrates Buster, a school bus that teaches bus safety, to children during the festival on Saturday.
Photo by Barry Paschal
The event, sponsored by the Columbia County school system, University Hospital and The Columbia County News-Times, was held at Lakeside High School in Martinez. Parents and children visited booths to learn about child safety, school nutrition, transportation, Parent-Teacher organizations and health and community groups.
"For the new parent, this is a great opportunity to see everything in one place, particularly in Columbia County," Karen Ribble, the school board's special projects coordinator, said about the fifth annual event, which she said drew more than 1,000 attendees. "It's just a fun day for parents and children.''
Festivities included crafts, entertainment and demonstrations about bus safety; and iParent, an electronic system that helps parents check their child's academic performance in school.
Charlotte Sherman, of Evans, who has attended the event in the past, said the festival is a great opportunity to kick off the school year.
Eli Kate Merrill, 6, of Martinez, gets her hair spray-painted by Rachel Marionneaux, 11, of Evans, during the Back-To-School Festival at Lakeside High School on Saturday.
Photo by Quandra Collins
"It's a good way to gear the children up for school,'' she said. "For many of them this is an opportunity that they get to see their friends. It's also a good way to get involved in the school system and learn more about the community."
Sherman's daughter, Cadee, 6, expressed her eagerness to return to school.
"I like everything about school," said the first-grader at Evans Elementary School. "I'm looking forward to homework."
Emily Epstein, 10, of Martinez, works on a craft project during the festival. Emily starts fifth grade today at South Columbia Elementary School.
Photo by Barry Paschal
Back to School 2005
Visit our special Back to School section for everything you need to know about the upcoming school year - including bus routes, school events, menus and a guide to Columbia County Schools.