Back-To-School Bash provides over 500 backpacks and supplies to children in need

The Cherokee Center was the place to be on Monday if you needed school supplies and wanted to learn more about your education options in St. Louis.

The Second Annual Back-To-School Bash sponsored by CEAM, the Missouri Public Charter School Association, Playtime Recreation, The Thomas Dunn Learning Center, and the Rance John Experience provided over 500 backpacks and core school supplies to children in need.

More importantly, the event served as a launching point for conversations about school choice in the St. Louis area with a wide variety of vendors offering information about new and existing charters schools, private schools, and student support services like financial literacy and tutoring.

Attendees could also get free dental and vision screenings and haircuts before getting a fun face painting and enjoying a free hot dog.

In addition to the free school supplies, the event provided a total of 32 free dental cleaning and over 60 haircuts.

While the event was focused on helping kids get ready to go back to school, it also provided some very useful services for adults with 25 adults signing up for adult high school and 10 people registering to vote or updating their voting address.

Vendors at the event included: New York Life, Carondelet, CEAM, MCPSA, Job Corps, Northwest Mutual, St. Francis Community Center, Youth In Need, The Excel Center - Goodwill (Adult high school), Vision for Children, League of Women Voters, Fathers' Support Center, Office of Financial Empowerment, DeSales Community Development, The Biome, St. Louis College Prep, Eagle, Kairos, St. Cecilia, MPACT, Lafayette Academy, United 4 Children, and Planned Parenthood of MO.