Hundreds of kids in Fifth Ward spent Sunday afternoon getting ready.
They attended Student Appreciation Day at Wheatley High School.
The event provided free haircuts, school supplies, and healthy meals to more than 800 underprivileged families.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, She’s Happy Hair Foundation, the Houston Food Bank, and other organizations partnered on the back to school event.
“More than mom, dad, or grandmother or guardian, this shows the community cares about them,” the Congresswoman said.
Wheatley High School has been an underperforming school for years, receiving an “F” on the Texas Education Agency’s accountability rating, which was released this month.
However, HISD board member Rhonda Skillern-Jones says events like Student Appreciation Day, this empower kids before starting a new year at school.
“[Wheatley High School] is on the right trajectory,” Skillern-Jones said. "The principal, staff, and faculty are ready to come back and make the grade this year."
With the material things they need taken care of, the idea is students in Fifth Ward can focus on things that matter, like learning.
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