Agency Details:

Back To School Program

The mission of the Back to School Program is to encourage and reward completion of public school registration and any school-mandated medical and immunization requirements by parents for eligible students in need within McLean County ahead of the beginning of the school year, so students can begin school on day ONE. It seeks to increase awareness of available resources in our community that offer programs to advance health, nutrition, fitness, educational enrichment, literacy and learning support, safety, and economic opportunity for students and their families.

Description:
It is estimated that nearly 1 in 4 students in grades K-8 throughout McLean County will meet the eligibility requirements of the Back to School Program in the new school year (Fall 2009). The goal is to provide as many of those eligible students as possible with a new backpack filled with school supplies.

To collect 5,000 backpacks and the supplies needed to fill them, we are asking businesses, groups, churches, organizations and individuals in our community to partner with us so that we can reach our goal.

History:
In 2002, McLean County Extension Life Skills Educator, Kathy Johnson learned that a percentage of children in the community were unable to begin the school year on the first day of school because they were not registered and/or they did not meet the school requirements for needed immunizations or school medical exam.

In 2009, a cooperative partnership including representatives of Illinois State University, McLean County Extension, State Farm, COUNTRY Financial, McLean County Health Department, and other community businesses, organizations and groups came together with local school districts to identify student needs, and the goal for this year's Back to School Program.

Contact people:

Debra Wylie, Program Coordinator, (phone), (email) Sandy McGhee, Program Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (309) 438-5069

Address:

305 S. Linden St. Ste 102 Normal, IL 61761 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.exu.ilstu.edu/backtoschool/

Directions:

Linden Street just north of Linden and Vernon intersection. We are the 2 story brick building on the west side of the street.

Last updated on July 1, 2009