Holyoke Media’s youth host, Kiara Rosario welcomes Eddie Caisse III to our studio, to talk about the 2023 edition of the Back to School event that will take place at the McNally Field (behind Kelly School) on Saturday, August 19, 2023, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

For over a decade, the Holyoke Safe Neighbour Initiative has been the central hub for all different agencies, service providers, and community members to gather efforts and put together this massive event that welcomes families and children attending the Holyoke Public Schools, for a celebration of a new school year, and receive school supplies, haircuts, and resources and services, while having a good time with games, food, music, and community engagement.

In this conversation, Eddie Caisse shares the plans for this 2023 edition of the Back to School event, while looking back to the previous years and how much this event has grown and becoming a yearly tradition for the community in Holyoke to get started for the new school year.

With an expected 2500 s chool bags to distribute to the attending children, this Back to School event is targeted to be the largest yet for the Holyoke Safe Neighbour Initiative and all the partners and sponsors involved in this city wide event.

Recorded at The Holyoke Media Sound Room, by the youth producers of the Summer Signal Program.

Host: Kiara Rosario.

Production: Kameron Colby, Hery Sierra, and Veronica Rosario.

Camera Operator: Shaina Rivera.