Every student at Capitol Elementary School has a new backpack to start out the school year. Thanks for the collaborative efforts of the Greater Phoenix Teen Challenge Center and Phoenix Firefighters, no student will be left behind by not having the required school supplies and a new backpack to keep them in. 

On August 3^rd, 2011, Rev. Jim Moyer, Center Director, Paul Cox, Director of Development, Maurice Cox, Public Relations Representative, and two residential students in the recovery program with Phoenix Fire Fighters Nick Petrucci, Eric Holt and Tim Smith were joined by school’s administrators to welcome returning students and pass out backpacks to any child that needed one. 

“In this time of economic struggle," Center Director Moyer said, “we wanted to help inner city families by providing their children with backpacks and school supplies as they start back to school.  We wanted to be Christ-like role models who are making a difference in our community.”

Many students came to school already wearing the school supply-filled backpack that they received during Teen Challenge’s Second Annual Back-to-School Bash and neighborhood BBQ and Evening Extravaganza on the evening of July 16^th. Some students had bought their own new backpack for the year. Any child without a backpack was handed one as they entered the school gates. Each backpack was filled with grade-appropriate school supplies. 

Principal Russell Sanders and the teachers at Capitol Elementary School are committed to helping the inner city children get the education they need to succeed. Teen Challenge, the Phoenix Fire Department, local businesses and individuals joined together to help by providing the backpacks and school supplies.