03/29/2024
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Music blared from the speakers, children giggled and flipped in the bounce house, and people lined up to get one of more than 200 bags of school supplies Saturday morning. Inside the Elizabethtown Farmers Market, there was a uniform exchange program with Billie Hall and others helping families exchange outgrown school clothes for larger sizes.

It was all part of the inaugural Back to School Bash put on by the Bladen County NAACP and Bladen County Schools.

“It’s the first time Bladen County Public Schools and Bladen County NAACP have come together as a united force,” Bladen County NAACP President Xavier Daniels said. “It’s already turned out to be a success. We’ve given away over 200 bags of school supplies to students.”

Bladen Office Supply, Elizabethtown Nationwide Insurance and First Bank helped sponsor the Bash.

Daniels’ idea for the Bash began several months ago when he approached the school system to partner for the event. A “Stuff the Bus” event was held a few weeks ago in the parking lot of the Elizabethtown Walmart store. Then, cadets enrolled at the Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy sorted the school supplies in bags for distribution Saturday.

“When Xavier brought the idea to me to come together as a community, we felt like this was a great opportunity to bring all of our efforts together and really make a positive affect for the children of Bladen County,” said Valerie Newton, who is the school system’s public information officer. “It’s been a wonderful event. We look forward to doing many more of these.”

While the focus Saturday was helping students with supplies and uniforms for the upcoming school year that begins Monday, a longer range goal, said Daniels, is to introduce the Youth Investment Plan. It’s a plan that will track students from grade school through college graduation, he said.

“The Youth Investment Plan (YIP) has four components — spirituality, education, economics, and health and wellness,” Daniels said. “I believe the YIP program will solve so many things. It will show a decrease in racial tension. It will also show an increase in graduation rates. I believe that in a time like now, we really need to come together and support this program.”

Daniels said the program is looking for volunteers to go to the schools and also help with other activities. To learn more about the Youth Investment Plan or to volunteer, email westbladennaacp@gmail.com.

“We have a curriculumn that’s already approved by the schools,” Daniels said. “We also have Saturday Academy, where kids can come out on Saturdays. It’s more of a fun thing, but still learning while they’re having fun

“The YIP is about building relationships with our youth in Bladen County. One of my favorite quotes is ‘rules without relationships creates rebellion.’

“I think the important thing for us to do is create a healthy relationship with the youth of Bladen County while they’re young. That way we can get them from elementary school to graduating from college.”

Daniels stressed the program and the organization is open to everyone.

“The NAACP is not an organziation just for African-Americans,” Daniels said. “The NAACP has white Americans, Latino Americans, African American. We just have Americans, and we’d love to have you come and volunteer. We’d love for you to join the Bladen County NAACP. When we have our meetings, we’re talking about things to improve the county. It’s open to all.”

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