Hundreds given school supplies at rally

Twelve-year-old Estefani Boeta hurriedly ran to one of the many tables at the Jacob Brown Auditorium at Sunday’s annual Youth Development Rally to claim her bag of school supplies.

Hundreds of Brownsville school children received free school supplies at the event, which was sponsored by the Avance of the Rio Grande Valley and its Community Youth Development Program.

Boeta, who starts the sixth grade today at Lucio Middle School, said she’s excited to start a new school year and looks forward to what she will learn from her teachers.

“I’m excited because I’m going to have new teachers,” the teen said with a smile from cheek to cheek. “I’m also going to make new friends.”

Some 1,000 school children, from Pre-K through 12th grade, were given bags of free school supplies with binders, notebooks, folders, pencils, pens and crayons, said Mary Jane Martinez, youth development coordinator with the Community Youth Development Program.

Children and parents also received door prizes, popcorn and hot dogs, while listening to the rock band Rip-Tide.

Eleven-year-old Jesus Sanchez also starts a new chapter of his life today as he ventures to the sixth grade at Faulk Middle School.

“I’m excited because it’s my first time (in middle school),” he said of the move to middle school.

Sanchez did admit he was somewhat sad that some of his friends from elementary school would be going to different schools, and was a little concerned that he would have to make new friends.

“I’m going to miss my friends,” he said. “I’m not going to get to see them anymore.”

However, Sanchez said he will be OK and was thankful to those that organized the event.

“I got folders, notebooks, and binders,” he said. “(My mom) also bought me three outfits for school.”

Thirteen-year-old Osvaldo Martinez said his mother learned about the Youth Rally through a friend. His face lit as he explained how excited he was to start the seventh grade at Besteiro Middle School.

“Now that I have (notebook) paper, and if I run out of it, I will be OK,” he said. “I have some more saved up.”

Martinez was also happy to save his mom some money since she did not have to buy most of his school supplies.

Scores of community organization came together to support the annual event, which was sponsored in part by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and supported by dozens of community organizations.