Erma Henderson Academy Principal Deborah Manciel accepts backpacks from Comerica Cares volunteers in front of WDIV-TV studios.
After the harsh winter, it seems as though summer in Detroit flew by and it’s hard to believe students, teachers and faculty have returned to classrooms across the metro area.
To help usher in the new school year, Comerica Bank recently teamed up with WDIV-TV, the Detroit NBC affiliate, to throw a special back-to-school celebration at the station’s downtown studio. As part of WDIV’s Live in the D Plaza Dayz, Comerica provided a $6,500 grant to purchase enough school supplies to fill 300 backpacks for deserving Detroit Public School (DPS) students.
“With Comerica’s help, we were able to spend above and beyond our original target, providing so much more help for the children,” said Corey McIsaac, assignment editor, WDIV-TV.
“We’re proud to help our local students by providing the essential tools needed to succeed in the classroom,” said Michael T. Ritchie, president, Comerica Bank-Michigan. “By investing in today’s youth we’re ensuring the continued growth of the region and creating a thriving, sustainable community for future generations.”
For many, the new school year is an exciting time when students reconnect with old friends, show off new outfits and go shopping for the newest hot-ticket school supply items. While back-to-school time is often perceived as a happy, joyous time, for those who can’t afford a new wardrobe or school supplies it can be stressful and disheartening. Not to mention, that it’s hard to focus on schoolwork when you don’t have a pencil to write with.
“WDIV-TV decided we wanted to take advantage of our back-to-school-themed Plaza Dayz by working closely with Detroit Public Schools,” said McIsaac. “We asked DPS to identify one school they knew needed the help in the form of supplies, and they chose Erma Henderson Academy. They also helped us determine specifically which supplies were needed.”
Patricia McCann, vice president and national civic affairs manager, Comerica Bank, and nine Comerica Cares volunteers spent their lunch hour stuffing backpacks with calculators, erasers, pencils, markers, notebooks and other essential school supplies to present to Erma Henderson Academy Principal Deborah Manciel.
“I am extremely happy and I know our students are going to be awesome and prepared and ready for the first day of school,” said Manciel during an interview with Live in the D
anchor Karen Drew. “I appreciate the awesome donation from Comerica. Our students are going to be so excited.”
“Comerica is committed to supporting metro Detroit and the entire Michigan community,” said McCann. “Education is one of our giving priorities and we thought it was a great idea to help DPS students get ready to go back to school by supporting our neighbors at WDIV with Plaza Dayz.”
WDIV did a wonderful job of turning the back-to-school season into a celebration by enlisting the support of the Detroit community. In addition to Comerica, Meijer and Staples stepped in to do the shopping for school supplies. To help round out the celebration, the Michigan Science Center was on hand doing exciting demonstrations and giving away field trips, the Somerset Collection hosted a back-to-school fashion show, Motor City Casino provided the tunes, local food trucks rallied to offer uniquely Detroit cuisine, and the Mosaic Youth Theatre and Martin Luther King Jr. High School marching band provided entertainment.
“We at WDIV couldn’t have been happier with the response from the entire community in helping with our Plaza Dayz initiatives,” said McIsaac. “Everyone we have asked to participate has kicked right in and made a big difference in the success of the events.”
Comerica Bank leadership had an easy decision to make when downtown Detroit neighbor WDIV reached out for support. The bank supports numerous initiatives focused on building tomorrow’s leaders by educating today’s youth. In recent years Comerica has awarded $10,000 Grand Slam Grants to help create, expand or improve high school baseball and softball programs, provided a $10,000 grant to the DPS Foundation to bring the Jewish Ensemble Theatre series of anti-bullying plays to 18 Detroit Public Schools, invited Detroit Public Schools journalism students to participate in the Sports Broadcasters Luncheon prior to the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix and hosted an annual Thanksgiving dinner for Detroit Public Schools students with the Parade Company. Comerica also routinely offers financial literacy programs for grades K-12 and adults, as well as provides scholarships for students in need.
On a grander scale, Comerica recently committed $1 million to the Detroit Institute of Arts “grand bargain” that will help protect and retain the museum’s art collection for students to experience for years to come.
To learn more about Comerica Bank’s support of education and the Comerica Cares volunteer program, please visit www.facebook.com/ComericaCares.
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