Whitehead Elementary & Flinn Middle School join forces for ‘Blue and White Night’

Whitehead Elementary School and Flinn Middle School hosted their annual ‘Blue and White Night’ event, bringing students and families together for a night of fun and community engagement.

The event, held as summer comes to a close, featured food trucks, games, a dunk tank, and a visit from Rockford Police’s K-9 officer Rip. Community vendors were also present to provide information to families, highlighting the schools’ commitment to fostering a supportive community environment.

“Just seeing all the kids with their families interacting, knowing that we’re here to support them, that’s the best part,” said Paula Randall, principal of Whitehead Elementary.

The partnership between Whitehead Elementary and Flinn Middle School is not new, as the schools have collaborated on this event in previous years. They have also received $5 million in grants for after-school programs after becoming a ‘community school.’

Brandie Fago, principal of Flinn Middle School, emphasized the importance of these events for community building, stating, “We want all our families to come out, get to know one another, get to know our staff, and get to know what resources are available.”

The event included a variety of activities for children and families, such as soccer games, a cake walk, and opportunities to interact with local community groups like the Boy Scouts.

The ‘Blue and White Night’ serves as a testament to the schools’ dedication to creating a unified community environment, with plans for more collaborative events in the future. “Every single year, it gets bigger and better,” said Fago.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WTVO. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WTVO staff before being published.