Ocean Springs community comes out for Back to School Bash and Giveaway

It’s back to school time in South Mississippi and in honor of this, the Ocean Springs community came together to support students with the third annual Back to School Bash.

Families filed into the Mark Seymour VFW for the school supply and backpack giveaway. The event handed out over 300 backpacks in partnership with Krewe Unique community outreach, the auxiliary for the VFW, and JROTC. Students from all Coastal school districts were welcomed to join in the fun.

Kids were able to enjoy games, face paint, hamburgers, and more ahead of the new school year. Greg Gipson with Krewe Unique said, “Education is the foundation and we have to teach our kids early on to study hard as well as play hard, but at the end of the day we want them to get a quality education because we know without them, they’re going to be our future.”

Kristine Sepe with VFW Post 5699 Auxiliary said, “Composition books, glue sticks, just whatever the kids need for the school year.”

Matt Waltz with the VFW Post 5699 Auxiliary said, “Anything we can possibly provide to help make things easier on the parents in the community so their students have what they need for school.”

The Gulfport School District started classes last week. Biloxi, Jackson County, Moss Point, and Pascagoula-Gautier School Districts start this week. Ocean Springs, Hancock, and Harrison County schools will begin the first week of August.