A local businessman Kelan Bilal is donating 24 Amazon Fire tablets to Youngstown City School District (YCSD) as an incentive to boost scholar attendance. 

"I really just want to always let these students and our schools know that the community has their back," said Bilal, owner of the Excalibur Barber Grooming Lounge at the Southern Park Mall. "I understand that every bit of positive encouragement for any type of academic accomplishment is motivating and energizing."

Mr. Bilal has donated in the past to YCSD, as he's donated tablets this past summer to encourage scholars to read.

"Mr. Bilal is a great partner to YCSD and for education," said CEO Justin Jennings. "We all know that scholars can't learn if they aren't either in school or in the case of remote learning, logging into their classes. The tablets Mr. Bilal is so generously donating will be added motivation to encourage our young people to log in to all their classes every day."

Linda Hoey, YCSD's chief of family engagement, said the tablets will be divided among the district's elementary schools and each school will set the attendance goals scholas much achieve to be entered in a raffle for a tablet. 

"We're grateful to Mr. Bilal for thinking of our scholars and helping us to encourage attendance," she said.