For Arlington resident Mikaila Smith, the lead-up to the 2025-26 school year has been stressful. Both Smith’s son and daughter start public school at Mary Moore Elementary this fall.
Balancing the pressure of switching her children into AISD from private school and the rising costs of supplies is a tall order, but she found help at Arlington ISD’s 11th annual Back to School Kickoff at AT&T Stadium.
“Something like this is really beneficial, especially for a lot of kiddos in this area,” Smith said.
Approximately 25,000 gathered at the home of the Dallas Cowboys for the Aug. 2 event, according to the district.
Kids race each other during the Back to School Kickoff event Aug. 2, 2025, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington. (Mary Abby Goss | Fort Worth Report)
Getting ready for the event is a year-round endeavor, Superintendent Matt Smith said.
“Aaron Perales is our lead on this, and he probably starts work on this starting a month after the event is over,” the superintendent said. “The nice thing about it is, after a number of years, we have a really great system in place.”
The event included free backpacks and school supplies for Arlington ISD students, free haircuts, dental and vision screenings, and a resource fair for parents.
Over 9,000 students registered ahead of the event for free backpacks, the superintendent said.
Makayla Sanders, whose daughter is attending Adams Elementary, said the event and supplies helped relieve stress ahead of the new school year.
“It takes that extra weight off my shoulders,” Sanders said.
Rebecca Anderson-Davis, a member of the Junior League of Arlington, has volunteered during the event for the past eight years and watched it grow.
“We used to have all the kiddos and their parents out in the parking lot grabbing and getting things,” Davis said. “Now, it’s a lot more user-friendly.”
Inside the stadium, senior cosmetology students from the Arlington ISD Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center gave haircuts while seniors in the health care program at Bowie High School assisted with dental services.
Bowie High senior Jaylen Mayhew said he stepped up to help after hearing that coordinators were accepting more volunteers.
Bowie High School senior Jaylen Mayhew passes out free toothbrushes during the Back to School Kickoff event Aug. 2, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. (Mary Abby Goss | Fort Worth Report)
“It’s a very big shock factor, seeing how many people showed up and how many faces are smiling today. It’s been great,” Mayhew said.
Career and Technology Center students have provided haircuts at the event since 2018, a year after the program started.
Helping students get haircuts has instilled a sense of pride for students, Principal Ginger Polster said.
Jocelyn Espinoza, a student at the Arlington ISD Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center, cuts a young student’s hair during the Back to School Kickoff event Aug. 2, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. (Mary Abby Goss | Fort Worth Report)
“It’s been really amazing to watch our kids interact with our younger kiddos and older kiddos, but they’re just really proud to give back to our community,” Polster said.
With the school year beginning soon, the superintendent said the event signified the community coming together to support the next generation.
“If they need assistance with school meals, we have opportunities for them to get signed up. If they need a dental screening, that’s going on here,” Superintendent Smith said. “This really shows the community support for our kids, and that’s why it’s such a special event.”
Chris Moss is a reporting fellow for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@fortworthreport.org.
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