Annual Summer Barbecue at Camden Prep Provides Free Backpacks, Food, Fun

CAMDEN - Chances are when 11-year-old Ameerah Atkinson returns to school this month, there will be very few Camden students who have a backpack like hers.

"There is a calendar in here, a pen, some Post-its," Natisha Hamilton, Atkinson's mother, told TAPinto Camden. Her voice trailed off a bit as she rummaged through the free backpack her daughter received during Camden Prep's second annual Summer Barbecue held Saturday, August 17, at the school's campus at 1800 Copewood Street.

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"Look, it has the school's name on it," Hamilton added as she flipped over the blue backpack with the school's name printed on it in white.

"We wanted to be able to provide families with an opportunity to feel prepared, feel ready and also get excited about school," said Victoria Glover, Camden Prep's senior director of external affairs, during an on-site interview regarding the barbecue. "Summer is coming to an end, but we want our kids to be excited to be back within our doors."

Glover estimated that 170 backpacks were distributed to 124 families during the barbecue, adding that a child did not necessarily need to be a student at one of the Camden Prep schools to attend the event.

Camden Prep will also provide additional free school supplies to all Camden Prep students on their first day of school, Glover said.

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Hamilton added that Camden Prep gave away some free clothes during last year's barbecue and said the school's giveaways "give her one less thing to worry about buying." The giveaways also free-up funds for other back-to-school essentials, such as the black shoes her daughter will wear as part of her Camden Prep uniform.

Saturday's event also included free food, entertainment, haircuts. Also, the Camden County Department of Health registered students to get the mandatory vaccines to students who need them for school, which starts Aug. 26.

"We got the email from the school about this event," said Tori Cole, another barbecue attendee whose child will attend school in the fall. "We are having a fun time."

Glover said comments like that made the event that much more important to her.

"The excitement that I get to see on the family's faces is great," she said. "I am lucky enough to not only see (Camden Prep) students so excited, but other students that reside in the city so excited. We always want to provide a touch point right before the school year starts when we can let families know we care about you."

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