Buddy White Project continues to supports student in MVCSD and will hold second annual giveaway at Doles Center

During the 2023-2024 school year, several students in the Mount Vernon City School District were supported by the Buddy White Project. Henry “Buddy White” Allen, the CEO of the Buddy White Project, graduated from Mount Vernon High School in 1984 and has dedicated his life to supporting education. He has also managed to bring that support to the MVCSD with several initiatives. 

The Buddy White Project targets at-risk students in low-income areas by supporting them with educational resources, especially technology. In Mount Vernon, they held their first annual back to school giveaway in August 2023, and they will hold another giveaway at the Doles Center this year on Saturday, August 10, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

“I’m still in the local area, and this is a passion to me,” said Mr. Allen. “I grew up right there on the south side where the Mount Vernon Boys’ Club is, and that is why these things are so important to me, because I come from that community. I know what it’s like to be underprivileged at some point. I’ve tried my best to provide resources that young students can actually use and benefit from.”

The Buddy White Project is designed to provide positive reinforcement for young students, starting at the third-grade level. Mr. Allen started supporting students in third grade because it is a pivotal year for students, and they need to have the reading and comprehension skills necessary to do well in the following grade levels.

The organization held an essay contest at Grimes School earlier in the year. Parker Turner, a third-grade student at Grimes, won the contest and received a laptop and a trip to the Norwalk Aquarium with 50 of his classmates. Another winner within the District was Jean-Richardson Africain, a fourth-grade student at Traphagen School. He received a laptop, a backpack and a notebook with Kletis 2 Kool, the Buddy White Project mascot, on the cover.

“We appreciate the support that the Buddy White Project has provided to this District, and we hope this partnership continues in the coming school year,” said Acting Superintendent Dr. K. Veronica Smith. “An MVHS alum, Buddy White has done great work by coming back to his community and giving back to the children, who are also so appreciative of the support. Thank you, Buddy!”

The project supports other school districts throughout the area, highlighting the importance of education and providing them with educational resources to help them succeed. 

“We’ve been able to service students and provide them with laptops and other resources,” said Mr. Allen. “We focus the project on having students write essays on how important education is. We started at the third-grade level, and we’ve been able to tap into some really amazing students that have written some really over the top essays.” 

The Buddy White Project has approximately 1,200 backpacks and matching notebooks to deliver to students at the giveaway on August 10. Kletis 2 Kool will also be in attendance. Kletis 2 Kool is a basketball character, and his mantra is, “Sports are great, but education is key.” He will be a part of a basketball skills and drills activity at the event. There will also be a bouncy house and face painting available for children.

Local organizations such as the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau, the Mount Vernon Recreation Department, and the Mount Vernon Community Health Center will be in attendance to share information and provide resources to the community.

“We want to make sure that we provide as much reinforcement, such as social emotional skills, that can actually change the direction of young students’ lives,” said Mr. Allen.

Visit https://www.buddywhiteproject.com/ to learn more about the Buddy White Project or support them in their mission to provide beneficial resources to students.