Hundreds of families wrapped around the West Aurora Learning Center in Aurora Sunday for a chance to get school supplies for the upcoming school year.
West Aurora School District 129 held its free supply and backpack giveaway at the facility on the district campus at 1870 W. Galena Blvd. on the city’s West Side.
“We know school supplies foster a sense of preparedness and excitement for the start of the school year,” West Aurora School District Director of Community Affairs Anna Gonzales said.
The Back 2 the Books supply and backpack giveaway was the first of its kind due to the pandemic. This year, West Aurora School District 129 is preparing for full in-person learning when school begins Aug. 18.
“We are trying to build excitement for what we hope is a more normal school year,” Gonzales said.
The pandemic has impacted families in a variety of ways, parents said.
“It’s been hard. My wife has been off work for a while to watch the kids at home,” Brayan Barrera said.
“We thought the closing of schools in the spring of 2020 was going to be temporary. Instead it went into the following school year. As the months passed away, it got harder. We thought the kids would be back in school last fall,” he said.
Barrera has four young children, two of which are of school age. Along his side at Sunday’s event were two of his children – Anthony, 9, and Ayden, 8.
“I am looking forward to finally seeing my friends in school again,” Anthony said. “I just really want to go back to school.”
Marissa Magana was with her son Gabriel, 8, at the event. She said he’s looking forward to starting the fourth grade when school resumes later this month.
“I am glad my son is going back to school but I am also somewhat reluctant because the pandemic isn’t over. I am OK with having our kids wear masks,” she said.
The district distributed nearly 450 backpacks filled with supplies during the event on Sunday. An additional 112 school supply kits and an assortment of other class-related supplies were given away as well, district officials said.
The district had nine community partners that were represented at the event, according to district officials.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.