Excitement filled the air as thousands attended the Douglas County School System’s annual Back to School Kick-Off held on July 25. The fifth annual event was held at Legacy Arena and featured food, fun and fellowship while providing students with support and resources for the school year.

This year's celebration welcomed more than 5,000 attendees and brought together hundreds of educators, volunteers and community partners. Students received resources to support their academic success and gained access to a wealth of community resources.

“Community support at the Back to School Kick-Off has been phenomenal, and we are incredibly grateful,” said Superintendent Dr. Trent North. “ Serving students is at the heart of what we do, and we look forward to reaching even more students this year, continuing our mission to provide a first-class learning experience.”

Thanks to donations from several community partners, including Diamond-Level sponsor Amazon, students received additional resources and support to help prepare them for a successful school year.

The event featured local organizations, including 100 Black Men of Douglasville, Beyond the Front Porch, Central Baptist Church, Children Youth and Special Needs-Cobb & Douglas Public Health, CHOA-Strong 4 Life, City of Douglasville Parks & Recreation, City of Douglasville Police, Cobb & Douglas Public Health, Comparion Insurance Agency, Cultural Arts Council Douglasville/Douglas County, Douglas County District Attorney's Office, Douglas County Fire and EMS, Douglas County Head Start, Douglas County Parks and Recreation, Douglas County Public Library, Douglas County Senior Services, Douglas Division of Family & Children Services, Ephesus Baptist Church, Georgia Power Company, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, H.J. Russell & Company, Inspiring Scholars Academy, Safe Kids Douglas, Sheltering Arms, Sunshine House, UGA Extension 4-H, Vital Life Chiropractic, Waterford.org, West Georgia Technical College and Wellstar Health System.

The Douglas County School System is grateful for the collaboration between volunteers, educators and community partners to help make the event a remarkable success.