Hundreds show up for Back to School Festival

By BOB MARTIN 

Eagle Times Staff 

CLAREMONT, N.H. — The time is near for Claremont students to get back to the daily grind and hit the books, and the first stop on the journey was the annual SAU 6 Back to School Festival at Barnes Park. 

Around 1,000 people turned out for the event on Saturday morning, where students came away with a free backpack, school supplies and maybe even some clothes for the fall. 

“It’s all about a sense of community at SAU 6,” said organizer Courtney Porter. “We really pride ourselves in that it is about the whole child. It’s not only about what we are teaching, but also how we are working with the families, how we connect them with resources in the community, and how we assure that everyone just feels welcome.” 

Music was blasting from the DJ booth, Courtney’s Closet was a huge hit for back-to-school clothing, and 480 backpacks were provided for students of all ages. Any backpacks or supplies left over are taken by Porter to distribute to the schools, as throughout the school year there could be a need. 

“Kids can be rough and tough on their bags, or maybe there is a new family in the district,” Porter said. “Not only can we give them today, but we’ll have a nice little supply for the whole year.” 

The day was set up where people could stroll in any time between 10 a.m. and noon. She said when the event first moved to Barnes Park there were long lines right at the start, and people would kind of get in and out quickly. This has changed, as it is designed more to be an event where people can casually meander through the booths, mingle with the school staff and give a chance for students to say hello to each other before the start of the school year. 

The sounds of classic rock filled the air, and as people strolled in they were greeted by local EMTs and fire personnel who had their vehicles for the kids to go check out. The infield of the track was set up with booths in a circle, which consisted of local organizations and each school in the district. Students and their families could go and check in at their respective booth and have a chance to introduce themselves to teachers and staff. 

Courtney’s Closet had hundreds of clothing items available for students and their families to sift through. There were racks upon racks brought over by Porter for the first time in the Back to School Festival history. 

But this is a program that is 12 years in the making, as Porter explained that it originally started in Claremont Middle School when she would fill lockers with items that she could provide students. This could be school supplies, hygiene items, winter wear, sweatshirts, T-shirts and more. Basically anything someone might need in a bind, Courtney’s Closet had it covered. 

In this case, it is a perfect chance for students to update their wardrobe for a fresh new start to the school year. Children of all ages were able to go up and down the racks and check if anything caught their eye, or if there was something they needed. 

Parents and grandparents commented on how big of a help the items of Courtney’s Closet were, for a little bit of back-to-school shopping. 

“Courtney’s Closet has been phenomenal,” Porter said. “I feel so blessed to have the cheerleaders from Claremont Middle School, who have been helping with this. The Stevens High School boys’ soccer team was here right at 8 o’clock this morning and helped unload all the vehicles to get the tents set up. Everything has gone smoothly. Like butter.” 

One parent pointed out that it isn’t easy being a single mother with multiple kids, and that events like the Back to School Festival were vital financially. 

All of the items in Courtney’s Closet were free of charge. In fact, the entire Back to School Festival was free for the public to take part in. 

Oakley Anderson was having an especially great day, hanging out with his Meemaw, Emily Webster, to celebrate his birthday. The newly turned 5-year-old was all smiles and loved the brand new blue backpack he received. He was donning purple hair, super talkative with a young inquiring mind, and looking forward to kindergarten at the Maple Ave Elementary School. In just a few days he will start his journey through the ranks of the Claremont School district. 

While Webster was there spending time with Oakley, there was also business at hand. Webster was with National Field Representatives, which donated the backpacks to be distributed at the event. Webster was happy to see that their efforts were going toward such a great cause, and that any way to help local families start off the school year is a good one. 

“This is such a great event,” Webster said. “It’s an important one. And what a day we have here today.” 

Porter was in agreement, saying that the 80 degrees and sunshine was certainly inviting for the public to come out and take part in the event that has expanded gradually over the two decades it has been in existence. 

“This has been a fantastic day,” Porter said. “Mother Nature has been on our side. We are surrounded by the schools, the community, students and families. It kind of feels like Christmas morning, and we’re opening the best gift ever.”