SC Johnson Partners with The City of Racine's Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department for 11th Annual Back-To-School Festival

RACINE, Wis., Aug. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The new school year is quickly approaching and along with it comes the Mayor's Back-to-School Stay-in-School Festival in Racine, Wis. For the fourth year in a row, SC Johnson will be the major sponsor of the 11th annual free backpack giveaway where students in grades K-12 will receive a free backpack filled with age-appropriate school supplies. The event is Monday, August 19, 2013, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Festival Park.

"Our partners continue to demonstrate their commitment to the community through their ongoing support of this Festival," said John Dickert, Mayor, City of Racine. "The level of excitement and anticipation for this Festival grows each year and we're thankful to the community partners for helping get local students ready for a successful year with the necessary supplies."

Nearly 150 volunteers will be on hand to fill more than 3,000 backpacks with supplies prior to the event and to distribute them to students at the festival. No student will be turned away and in the event that supplies run out, backpacks will be provided following the event. 

"Having the right tools to begin the school year gives students a boost of confidence and sense of readiness that encourage them to perform at their best," said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. "We are thrilled to come together with the community partners again to support the Festival and help Racine students get off to a great start this school year."

The event also offers live entertainment, interactive games, pizza and beverages. Other community partners, such as Molina Healthcare, Racine County 4-H, and Focus on Community, will be giving away school-related items and information. 

Supporting Education in Racine County
Other recent examples of SC Johnson supporting education in the Racine community include:

• SC Johnson's Kaleidoscope Educational Series (KES) offers a variety of educational programs covering a wide variety of subjects – from science and math to art, music and theater. More than 675,000 students have participated in the program the last 34 years. The space at The Golden Rondelle Theater, programming and transportation costs are all provided by SC Johnson to ensure that no costs are passed along to the schools.   
• The Racine Reads: Dream Big! literacy program challenged local elementary students to read one million books during the 2011-2012 school year. Racine students achieved the goal, reading a grand total of 1.8 million books. SC Johnson awarded a $100,000 library makeover to the school that read the most books as well as two $25,000 library updates to high-performing schools.
• The SC Johnson Young Leaders Scholarship program awarded $317,500 in scholarships to students in the Racine community who plan to continue their education in college or vocational school during the 2013-2014 academic year.

About SC Johnson
SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, KIWI®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, TANA®, BAMA®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, MR. MUSCLE®, and RIDSECT®. The 127-year-old company, that generates $9 billion in sales, employs nearly 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com

SOURCE SC Johnson