The Beaufort County School District is teaming up with government agencies and private-sector business partners to hold a pair of “Back-to-School Expos” designed to give students and their families a day of fun, food, door prizes and valuable information about the upcoming school year.

The annual expos are scheduled at Bluffton High School on Saturday, July 26, and at Whale Branch Early College High School on Saturday, August 9.  Both events will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and free transportation will be provided from several centralized locations.

“Getting ready for a new school year requires some planning,” said Superintendent Jeff Moss, “and these events are terrific ways for families to gather a lot of practical and helpful information. “It’s also gratifying to see how much assistance we get from business partners, civic groups and faith-based groups.”

Participating business partners include Hargray, Walgreen’s, Wal Mart, Sodexo and Durham School Services.

Students and their families are encouraged to attend the events, which will feature:

• Booths operated by district schools that can supply information about school activities.

• Door prizes that will include bicycles, theme baskets as well as gift certificates to local restaurants and businesses.

• Free school supplies for students, courtesy of Wal-Mart, Walgreen’s and the district’s “Pack the Bus” campaign.

• Free health screenings for adults and children will be provided, including free HIV testing, by Beaufort-Jasper-Hampton Comprehensive Health Services and Beaufort Memorial Hospital.

• Sodexo Food Services will be taking early school lunch applications.

In addition, there will be a special keynote presentation designed to energize and inspire students and families as they begin the new school year.  This session will be conducted by Leading to Change, a Charlotte professional development and training company with corporate clients across the Southeast.

For families needing transportation to the August 9 expo at Whale Branch Early College High, school buses will make pickups at St. Helena Elementary School (8:10 a.m.) and Lady’s Island Middle School (8:30 a.m.). Another bus will make pickups at Beaufort Elementary School (8:15 a.m.) and Robert Smalls Middle (8:30 a.m.).

For additional information on the two expos, contact Lakinsha Swinton at 843-322-5451 or lakinsha.swinton@beaufort.k12.sc.us at the Beaufort County School District.