Back To School.
It's real. It's happening Monday. And based on the school supply events held in our community the last two weeks, our students will largely be prepared (Well, except for those early-morning alarms going off in some cases!).
One of those was Osceola County Commissioner Brandon Arrington's 4th Annual Back-to-School Tour, an effort to ensure students begin the academic year with the tools they need to thrive. The initiative reached nine public schools across District 3, delivering more than 900 backpacks filled with essential supplies and 117 digital tablets—13 per school—to help expand access to classroom technology and support student success.
The program distributes supplies directly to teachers and school principals—those most familiar with student needs—to determine how and where to allocate the donated materials. Since its inception, the Back-to-School Tour has donated more than 2,500 backpacks across District 3. This year, the program expanded its impact by donating 13 digital tablets to each participating school.
“This effort goes beyond simply handing out backpacks—it’s about empowering teachers and trusting school leaders to connect resources with the students who need them most,” said Vice Chairman Arrington. “Our teachers are on the front lines every day, and I trust them to ensure these resources reach the children who need them most.”
“Every year when you bring us the backpacks, we hand them out during Open House,” said Deerwood Elementary Principal Millie Torres. “We don’t ask questions—we just let families know they were donated by Commissioner Arrington and his team. Everyone leaves ready for school on Monday.
“Getting these donations is incredibly helpful,” said Dr. Annette Kalloo-Molina, Principal at Koa Elementary. “As a Title 1 school, these materials benefit our families—especially those with multiple children—and the tablets will also support our attendance incentives, keeping students motivated and in school.
The schools that were part of the distribution include:
- Poinciana Academy of Fine Arts
- Discovery Intermediate School
- Deerwood Elementary School
- Koa Elementary School
- Chestnut Elementary School for Science and Engineering
- Reedy Creek Elementary School (Commissioner Arrington's alma mater!)
- Horizon Middle School
- Sunrise Elementary School
- Pleasant Hill Elementary School
