An event in Suffolk later this month aims to get fathers involved in their daughters’ education to combat increasing violence among girls.

The Y2K Academy will host its fourth annual Fathers as First Teachers on the First Day of School event at Suite A, 3537 Pruden Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 31.

While events have previously focused on all kids, this year’s will focus on the “father-daughter approach,” due to growing violence and crime among girls, academy founder Princella Johnson said.

“We have been seeing more of that … so we want dads to get involved with their daughters,” she said.

Dads should show interest in their daughters’ progress and behavior at school and encourage them to achieve more, Johnson says.

“Research from the Department of Education shows that fathers are able to prevent children from dropping out, more so than mothers,” she said.

“Also, fathers are better suited to encourage youth to get A’s on their report cards. This is a long-term effort to improve SOL (Standards of Learning) scores. Recently, we did not do well at all with our SOLs. We really need the community get behind our fatherhood efforts.”

The event, described as a pizza party, with food donated by Al Forno’s Restaurant, will encourage fathers to take their daughters to school on the first day.

It will also include games and guest speakers, including Johnson and Costellar Ledbetter, retired teacher, businesswoman and Suffolk’s NAACP branch president.

Johnson said three mentors will also be involved — Amy Henderson, Miranda Hodge and Sierra Hodge.

“These young ladies are very excited about working with the girls, and they’re looking forward to not only doing the back-to-school event, but launching an after-school girls club in September of October,” Johnson added.

The event is part of the Y2K Dadz Responsible Fatherhood Initiative, organized by The Master’s House Church.

Entry is free, but registration is required to receive school supplies and donated clothing. Visit www.faft4girls.eventbrite.com, or www.y2kacademy.webs.com, where cash donations are also accepted. Dads taking their daughters to school are eligible to receive a free suit.

School supplies and girls’ clothing donations are being accepted at Wet and Wild Pools, 3537 Pruden Blvd.; Faith in God Deliverance Church, 2425-A Pruden Blvd.; EternaWell, suite 112, 6546 Hampton Roads Parkway; in Franklin at Joe’s Pizza and Pasta Palace, 1217 Carrsville Highway; and in Hampton at Wesley United Methodist Church, 2510 N. Armistead Ave.