With the first day of school just a few weeks away, Chattooga County Schools has made school supply lists available to help families prepare for the start of the 2026-2027 school year.
Chattooga County Community Resource Center Director Maisha Ludy says the community has provided every item needed for this year’s Back to School Bash, several days before the event.
Ludy announced Monday that all requested school supplies and other needed items have been collected. She said that in six years of coordinating the event, the organization has never completed its supply collection this far in advance.
The annual Back to School Bash will be held Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Chattooga High School.
The event will include free backpacks, school supplies, haircuts, community resources and other activities for local students and families.
Organizers remind parents and guardians that children must be present to receive a backpack and school supplies.
Ludy thanked residents, businesses and organizations across the county for their generosity and support, saying the early response reflects the strength of the Chattooga County community.
Trion High School has announced important back-to-school dates for students and families.
Freshman and new student orientation will be held Wednesday, July 29, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Students and parents should meet at the high school gym. New students and freshmen will also be able to purchase lockers during orientation.
Locker and parking purchases for returning students will be held Friday, July 24, at the back entrance of Trion High School. Seniors may purchase from 8:30 until 9:30 a.m., juniors from 9:30 until 11 a.m., sophomores from 11 a.m. until noon, and freshmen from 1:30 until 2:30 p.m.
Students must wait until their assigned time slot to make purchases.
The Chattooga County Democratic Party recently presented a donation to support the annual Back to School Bash, an event that helps local students prepare for the upcoming school year with free school supplies and other resources.
State House District 12 candidate Holly Chaney joined the presentation and praised the community effort.
“This is one of the events that makes me so proud of our county,” Chaney said. “Maisha Ludy and Chattooga Family Connection do a terrific job helping our students start school with the supplies and support they need.”
The Back to School Bash serves students from both the Chattooga County and Trion school systems and is scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, at the Chattooga High School Gym.
Pictured are (left to right) Pam Albert, First Vice President of the Chattooga County Democratic Party; Maisha Ludy, Coordinator of Chattooga Family Connection; and Holly Chaney, candidate for Georgia House District 12, which includes Chattooga County.
The Lyerly Fire Department is inviting families from across Chattooga County to kick off the new school year at its annual Free Back-To-School Bash on Saturday, July 11.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Lyerly Park and is designed to help students prepare for the upcoming school year while enjoying a day of family fun.
Children attending the event will receive free book bags and free school supplies while supplies last. Families can also enjoy free hot dogs, free icees, a waterslide, and a dunk tank, where participants will have the chance to dunk a firefighter.
The Lyerly Fire Department will also have one of its fire trucks on display, giving children an opportunity to get an up-close look at the equipment firefighters use to protect the community.
Organizers say the event is free and open to the public and encourages families to arrive early, as some giveaway items will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Back-To-School Bash has become a popular annual tradition, bringing together first responders, community volunteers, and local families while helping students start the school year with the supplies they need.
With just over two weeks remaining until the annual Back to School Bash, organizers are asking the community to help fill the final gaps in school supply donations before the event takes place on Thursday, July 16, at the Chattooga High School Gym.
Organizer Maisha Ludy says donations have been coming in, but several essential classroom items are still in short supply. The greatest current needs include composition books, dry erase markers, dividers with pockets, sticky notes, and index cards.
The Back to School Bash serves students from both the Chattooga County and Trion school systems and is designed to help local families prepare for the new school year. The free event will be held from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. and will feature school supplies, free haircuts, music from DJ Marty Mart, shaved ice treats from Mort’s Brain Freeze, and opportunities for families to connect with community organizations.
Anyone wishing to donate supplies can contact Maisha Ludy through Facebook, email maishaludy@gmail.com, or by calling or texting 706-388-9849. Organizers say every donation, no matter the size, helps ensure local students begin the school year prepared and ready to learn.
With the annual Back-to-School Bash less than a month away, organizers with Chattooga Family Connection are continuing to collect school supplies and financial donations to help local students prepare for the upcoming school year.
With just over one month remaining before the annual Back to School Bash, organizers are continuing efforts to collect school supplies and recruit volunteers to help local students prepare for the upcoming school year.
The event is scheduled for July 16, 2026, and organizers hope to serve 400 students by providing backpacks, school supplies, haircuts, and community resources.
According to organizers, donations received so far include 288 book bags, 350 erasers, 59 spiral notebooks, 96 pencil sharpeners, 50 pairs of scissors, 44 glue sticks, 24 highlighters, 40 pencils, and a variety of other school supplies. Despite the progress, additional donations are still needed to meet the goal of serving 400 students.
Several community organizations, agencies, businesses, and volunteers have already committed their support. Participants include Early Head Start, the Chattooga County Library, Atrium Health Chattooga, the Chattooga County Health Department, the Community Resource Center, the Cancer Coalition, the Summerville Recreation Department, and others.
Organizers have also secured four hairstylists who will provide free haircuts during the event, but they are seeking at least two additional stylists or barbers to assist.
Donations of school supplies, financial sponsorships, and volunteers are still being accepted. Anyone interested in helping may contact Maisha Ludy at 706-388-9849 or by email at maishaludy@gmail.com.
Organizers say community support will help ensure local students begin the new school year equipped with the tools and resources they need to succeed.
Organizers are asking for community support as preparations continue for the annual Back to School Bash for Trion and Chattooga students.
The event is scheduled for Thursday, July 16, 2026, from 4 until 6 p.m. and will include music, free back-to-school haircuts, shaved ice treats, community resources, and support for students preparing for the new school year.
Maisha Ludy with Chattooga Family Connection says school supply donations are still needed. Items currently being requested include notebook paper, binders, dividers, markers, colored pencils, highlighters, composition books, glue sticks, and scissors.
Those who would like to donate supplies may contact Ludy at 706-388-9849 or email maishaludy@gmail.com.
Monetary donations are also being accepted. Donations may be made at United Community Bank to Chattooga County Collaborative, through CashApp at $MaishaLudy, or through Venmo at @Maisha-Ludy.
Organizers say every donation, large or small, will help support local students and families as they prepare for the upcoming school year.
With summer quickly approaching and temperatures already climbing across Northwest Georgia, local health officials are reminding residents to take precautions when spending time outdoors.