On Saturday morning outside the Dryades YMCA in Central City, organizer Michaela King counted 120 people waiting in the rain for the doors of the Back To School Health Expo to open. It was the second year for the event hosted by King, a pediatrician, and other Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sisters.

With the offer of free backpacks filled with school supplies acting as a timely and practical incentive, about 600 people showed up over the course of the four-hour event, which had the theme Healthy, Wealthy and Wise. They rotated through a series of health screenings and demonstrations as well as workshops on financial well-being.

With presentations ranging from physical fitness, low-fat cooking and asthma prevention to mortgage and credit management, the event, while primarily health- and child-focused, sought to address the whole person and the whole family, King said.

Because people will do things for their kids they wont always for themselves, King said, the event provided a chance to get parents to assess their own physical condition, through testing and creating awareness of illnesses including breast cancer, diabetes, heart disease and HIV.

By confronting health problems that disproportionately affect African-Americans, King hoped to create more awareness in the black community about the importance of first prevention and then early diagnosis and treatment.

In order to receive their school supplies and be entered a raffle of bonus prizes, attendees had to complete screenings for body mass index, blood pressure, dental health, blood sugar and vision.

Dentists and eye doctors not covered by insurance providers can be very expensive, King said, and many of the younger children had never been to a dentist or optometrist. Attending one of five financial workshops was also a requirement to earn a backpack.

Ten-year-old Damari Haynes went to the first-time homebuyers workshop with his mother, Myesha Scott. While it wasnt his first choice for an activity, Scott said, he did pay attention, and she quizzed him afterward on some of the basics required before purchasing a home.

Damari said he learned about proper eye care at the eye screening and was pleased to be told his vision was very good. It was his 5-year-old brothers first visit to an eye doctor. Scott said.

The most popular workshop by far, King said, was one geared toward children titled The ABCs and 123s of Saving Money. Kids learned fundamental concepts related to earning money, saving it and setting goals. They were given fake money and required to make choices among a variety of goodies they could purchase.

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Back To School Health Expo reaches out to the whole family