Senator Murphy Sends Kids Packin' For 2018 School Year

Peekskill, NY - The clock is winding down on summer, which means it's time for kids to start thinking about going back to school. This year, students in Peekskill might not mind going back. Thanks to Senator Terrence Murphy, the Mount Olivet Baptist Church, and local community organizations, hundreds of students were given free backpacks loaded with pencils, pens, notebooks and other classroom necessities. Mount Olivet organized its fourth annual rally, which was hosted by the church at Peekskill Middle School on August 17. When Senator Murphy, an avid supporter of the church, heard about the event, he donated 25 fully loaded backpacks and then went to the school to help distribute them.

 "A solid education is an important building block for young students. Anything we can do to better prepare students for the school year can help improve their learning experience," said Senator Murphy. "Giving young eager minds the tools they need to succeed is easy, and it's a pleasure. The rest is up to them. I told them what I tell my children, study hard, dream big, and think big!"

Reverend Robert E. Young, Senior Pastor for Mt. Olivet said, "This year we received a great deal of support from Senator Murphy, the school system, community health organizations, and the justice system. We were able to help 400 students get a head start on their education last year, and judging by the size of the crowd, I'd say we reached even more children this year. These much-appreciated donations will help a lot of students get a leg up on having a successful school year."
 
Senator Murphy, Reverend Young, Reverend Tuesday Paige McDonald from Mt. Olivet, Dr. David Mauricio, Superintendent of Peekskill Schools, and the Hon. Reginald J. Johnson, a judge for Peekskill City Court, were among the guests handing out backpacks to the eager students.