Third-grade students hold drive-by parade for their teacher

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Tracy Schumaker, a third grade teacher at Mountain View Elementary, had not seen her students since March 12th, but that changed on Sunday. Her students held a drive-by parade for her, in front of her house, in honor of teacher appreciation week. The idea came from Seth Olson, one of her students.

"She's an awesome teacher, and we wanted to do something for her," Olson said. "Since COVID-19 is going around, it's not really fair that we can't interact with our classmates, so even when we're practicing social distancing we are still connecting and being together."

"It just makes you speechless," Schumaker said. "The kids come out and you know they miss you but to seem them is just a really special thing. A lot of people know that teachers are important, and teachers do good work, but they don't understand the true connection that we have with kids. That's really the heart of the job. You love your kids."

The kids gave her flowers, snacks, balloons, and made signs. They also decorated her house, and wrote messages on her driveway with chalk.

"I saw a couple of cars and recognized some kids right away," Schumaker said. "I'm pretty sure I need a Kleenex in the car immediately."

"It just makes me more happy to know that I can do that for her," Olson said.

Teachers don't usually know how much of an impact they're having on their students, but Mrs. Schumaker's students love her so much, they've given her a memory that will last forever.

"These are just some really great people," Schumaker said. "The fact that they come out for you, and honk their horns, and say they love you, and spend time making a sign… I think that's the thing I remember about this class. They were very loving and kind class.