Parental Empowerment and Student Encouragement on Agenda at Back to School Stay in School Rally

Aug. 9, 2011 - PRLog -- GOLDSBORO –  The Goldsboro/Wayne NAACP and the STOP the Funeral Initiative Covenant Partners invite the Wayne County community to join us for our Fifth Annual NAACP Back to School Stay in School Rally.  The event will be hosted by The Original Tabernacle of Prayer, LBJ Community Center at 1007 South John Street, on Thursday, August 11th, 2011 from 6pm to 8pm.  

The NAACP Back to School/Stay in School (BTS/SIS) has been preparing, inspiring and instructing youth of all ages providing them with the "tools" necessary to graduate high school. Founded in 1984, the program is composed of more than 30 sites located at churches, schools and community centers across the nation.

Sylvia Barnes, President Goldsboro/Wayne NAACP  encourages Wayne County families to come out for this evening of empowerment and encouragement. “Back to School/Stay in School is a national NAACP program in its 25th year. Providing high quality education for all of our public school students continues to be our fight and this rally will inform and empower parents while encouraging our students to do their best.”

“Each year the event hosts 300 or more youth and parents from more than 40 Covenant Partner churches and twenty different schools. In addition to empowering workshops for parents and students there will be door prizes, refreshments, entertainment, a back to school pep rally and backpacks of school supplies.”, said Rev. Mickael Stephens, Co-Convener of Stop the Funeral Initiative and pastor of Christian Life M.B. Church. Everyone is encouraged to arrive early for registration as supplies are given out on a first come first serve basis.  

John Barnes, C.E.O. of Rebuilding Broken Places CDC reminds us that the Stop the Funeral Initiative, is a collaborative effort of Rebuilding Broken Places CDC, The Goldsboro/Wayne Branch-NAACP, and the Wayne County Faith Community formed shortly after a young lady was shot and killed at a funeral here in Goldsboro. “Our collaborations in this community focus on our hope that parents will be empowered to help their children achieve excellence in our public schools, that they will stay in school and seek education above the lure of the streets.”, he said. For more information contact Charles Wright 919 705-2301 or Francine Smith 919 581-9178 x104

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A collaborative effort of RBPCDC, Goldsboro/Wayne Branch-NAACP, and the faith community united to be a catalyst for stopping drug and gang violence in Wayne County. Begun in April, 2007 after a homicide following a funeral at McIntyre’s Funeral Home