D-8 elementary school rolls out red carpet, active duty to welcome back students
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - All Patriot Elementary School students returning to school this week are treated like an A-list celebrity.
The school is rolling out the red carpet, avoiding those back-to-school blues, for roughly the tenth year this week. It's a tradition that includes cheerleaders, active duty military, staff, and educators, and it puts a smile on the faces of nearly 500 returning students.
"It’s awesome because you’re back from the summer and you miss them so much and it’s just awesome to see them smiling and they’re excited to be back," said Bobby Garcia, a teacher at the school who participates in the red carpet opening each year.
Several soldiers from Fort Carson also showed up for the celebration. It's certainly a unique event for the region, coordinated months in advance. And it's not going away any time soon.
“They’re the whole reason we exist and we’re so excited to have them back and we just want to make them feel seen and known and loved," said Linette Sheridan, Patriot Elementary School principal.
Fountain Fort Carson D8 has a student body that’s 70 percent military-connected. It’s over 90 percent at Patriot Elementary. In fact, several classrooms at Patriot turned over 100 percent last year, showing how often military students move each year.
Because of their staggered start, the red carpet runs through Wednesday morning.
