JOPLIN, Mo. — Joplin students and families are spending their last summer weekend preparing for the classroom.

Dozens of students and their families made their final school supply stop at “The Calvary Chapel of Joplin” this afternoon.

Today was the church’s 17th Annual Family Day and Free Back-to-School Giveaway.

The church partnered with “The Salvation Army of Jasper and Newton County” and “Bright Futures Joplin,” to ensure every student is starting the school year off with a full, brand-new backpack.

“You can see the happy – the faces of the kids, that excitement of getting new supplies and stuff. I remember being a young kid, how fun and exciting that was to go get a new backpack,” said Lt. Marty Norris of The Jasper & Newton County Salvation Army.

“You know, there’s something great about picking out your own supplies, and so, we let them shop and they can pick out the colors of the notebooks and the, you know, the backpacks, you know, and just give them the best start that they can have,” said Russ Hibbard, Assistant Pastor of The Calvary Chapel of Joplin

All Joplin students will be making their way back to the classroom on Monday morning.