Local students got in the back-to-school spirit last week with some help from the Washington Wizards.
Featuring appearances by Wizards mascot G-Wiz, the Wizards Dancers and DJ Chalant, the “Back-to-School Tip-Off” celebration provided students with backpacks filled with school supplies and free haircuts on Friday at Claremont Immersion Elementary School.
“I’ve seen some of my friends I haven’t seen in a long time,” said Cobul, a rising second grader who attended the indoor-outdoor festival in advance of the first day of class on Aug. 31.
With activities including face painting and three-point basketball shooting, the event was a joint initiative by the school division, the Washington Wizards and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation.
Organizations including the Girl Scouts and the county library system also were on hand during the three-hour event.
Though open to all local students, the event drew much of its crowd from the neighborhoods surrounding Claremont Immersion School.
“It’s a celebration of our community,” said the school’s principal, Liza Aldana-Broughman.
The school draws from across the county, with students learning part of the day in English and the other half in Spanish.
Aldana-Broughman told ARLnow the school was celebrating recent successes in the Virginia Department of Education’s school-quality profiles. The principal said the recent improvement was due to “a lot of hard work.”
“Our teachers are amazing,” Aldana-Broughman said.
As part of the event, every Claremont student who attended was eligible to receive a backpack. Those in kindergarten through fourth grade received Wizards-branded backpacks filled with school supplies, while fifth-grade students received Jordan Brand backpacks donated by Wizards forward Cam Whitmore.
Students also selected free books.
Laurie, a rising fourth-grader who attended the event, told ARLnow she was excited to get a backpack so she’ll be ready for school.
Her favorite subject? “Art,” Laurie said with confidence.
Chris Adams, director of fan development for the Washington Wizards, said the team and its parent organization worked to “spread the love across the DMV” by fostering community and relationships.
Organizing and participating in community events provides an opportunity to “meet them where they are,” he said of the public.
A number of School Board members were in attendance during the afternoon event. Among them was Monique “Moe” Bryant.
Getting a buzz going about the start of school will pay dividends when students return to classrooms, she told ARLnow.
“We are always going to be about welcoming our families back, letting them know they are seen and we care,” Bryant said. “It’s a joy to see the joy.”
Bryant competed in a free-throw contest against County Board member Julius “J.D.” Spain, Sr. She credited her victory to her left-handedness.
Though it was warm and humid outside, the rain was limited to a few drops midway through the event.
Aldana-Broughman said she hoped the school system’s relationship with the Wizards “may be the beginning of an annual partnership.”
