COVINA, CA – Covina-Valley Unified School District students and families filled the Health and Wellness Center for the District’s annual Back-to-School Extravaganza on Aug. 12 – a day of preparation, resources, and community connection ahead of the 2025-26 school year.

The event featured free school supplies, haircuts, a complimentary breakfast, and health and wellness screenings designed to help students arrive on the first day of school feeling confident and ready to learn.

“I’m very excited to start the new school year,” Araceli Gonzalez, a Las Palmas Middle School seventh-grader, said. “My new backpack and school supplies make me feel ready to succeed!”

The District’s local community partners – including Baby2Baby, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Kiwanis, Sunrise Rotary, Colgate, and Emanate Health – played a pivotal role in the event by donating services, supplies, and volunteer support, making the day a memorable one for families across the District.

Festivities began with a pancake breakfast before students moved on to receive free haircuts from the District’s own cosmetology students, working alongside members of Sunrise Rotary.

The Department of Mental Health and Colgate were also on hand to provide complimentary oral health and wellness screenings, ensuring that students start the school year with a healthy foundation for success.

“I really like my new haircut,” Rose Lou, a Grovecenter Elementary first-grader, said. “I also had my teeth checked and learned how long to brush my teeth – two whole minutes!”

Many of the school supplies were collected earlier in the summer through the District’s Stuff the Bus drive, hosted in partnership with Sunrise Rotary and Kiwanis, on July 19. The community responded generously, filling backpacks with essentials that will help students be organized and equipped from day one.

“Thank you to our incredible community and local partners for making our annual Back-to-School Extravaganza another resounding success,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Blackmore said. “Your generous donations have allowed us to help our students feel empowered and ready to start the 2025-26 school year in style.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

CVUSD_BTS1: Covina-Valley Unified students and families filled the Health and Wellness Center for the District’s annual Back-to-School Extravaganza on Aug. 12 – a day of preparation, resources, and community connection ahead of the 2025-26 school year.

CVUSD_BTS2: Covina-Valley Unified students received free haircuts from the District’s own cosmetology students, working alongside members of Sunrise Rotary, at the annual Back-to-School Extravaganza on Aug. 12.