There's no better way to kick off the back-to-school season than by giving kids the supplies they need to return to class with confidence.

KCPS Fest is an annual tradition hosted by Kansas City Public Schools, the KCPS Education Foundation, and several community partners. It provides more than 5,000 KCPS families with free backpacks and school supplies, and offers more than a hundred free health screening appointments in just a few hours.

Staff volunteers, many of whom are teachers and principals, line the driveway at East High School to greet students and their families. They spend the day directing traffic, handing out supplies, and churning through the long drive-through line.

Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Collier tells KCTV5 News, “We don’t want any student to be ashamed to come to school or feel unprepared for school. We want them to be excited and ready to go. And so that’s what this is all about today,”

Alongside Dr. Collier and her staff, Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders keep the spirits high and pose for pictures while KC Wolf does his best to not cause too much trouble.

Local news outlets weave in and out of the volunteers to capture the smiles and share the stories of families working hard to ready their students for the new year.

Reservations for KCPS Fest 2026 filled up days in advance, with parents/caregivers eager to start the year on a positive note. These are the stats for this year:

• Backpacks distributed: 5,129

• Volunteers engaged: 167

• Physicals completed: 120*

• Dental checks completed: 120*

• Health screenings: 80*

• Asthma consults: 40*

• Immunizations: 100*

• *pending final counts

Although KCPS Fest is over, the spirit of positivity and preparation for the 2026-2027 school year lives on. You can learn more about all things back-to-school and what your student needs to be prepared by visiting kcpublicschools.org/B2S.

View a photo gallery from the event here.

View KCTV5's coverage of the event by clicking here.