CINCINNATI — The second annual Back to School Jump Off filled a Roselawn parking lot with music, food and community. Each vendor and advocate took time out of their weekend to help prepare local kids for the new school year.
Thousands of kids in the tri-state have already had their first day back in the classroom. But districts like CPS, Middletown, and Winton Woods will be back in school this week.
The event was led and hosted by Charles Wiley and his organization, Let's Get It Productions.
"I'm just proud of everybody just coming together and being on one accord," Wiley said.
The event took place from noon to 5 p.m., combining haircuts and style with emotional support for kids in the community.
"We just try to put a whole bunch of organizations together, things that we know our youth go through," Wiley said.
I met Wiley one year ago when he organized the first Back to School Jump Off at the Roselawn Valley Center.
Now that the event is in year two, I asked the local youth advocate how he plans to continue growing this back-to-school gathering.
"I'm just, you know, believing more, more partners to come in and help us and just make it bigger," Wiley said.
Watch: See how the community gathered to support kids heading back to school
In Sunday's event, there were booths from organizations like the Talbert House, partnering with the African American Engagement Workshop (AAEW). That's where I met Jennifer Davis, a local peer coach.
Davis told me her work focuses on helping steer kids away from substance use and teaching them the dangers of addiction.
"I have lived experience of drug addiction, so I'm able to now give back where I had once made a mess of things," Davis said.
AAEW's booth also distributed school supplies to local families, including binders, crayons and folders.
Another vendor at the event was Johnita Jones, who teaches local kids CPR, a skill she told me she wasn't exposed to at a young age.
"It wasn't a necessity for us growing up; we always knew just a doctor would save a life versus someone else could save a life if they knew how to do CPR and First Aid," Jones said.
The community danced together, laughed together, ate together and learned together, helping young people begin their next steps.
