By Jason Gabak
According to Tecumseh Elementary School Principal Jill Zerrillo these past few weeks have been a difficult and challenging time for the staff, families and students of the elementary school community.
As everyone works to adjust to new ways of doing things like remote instruction and other changes to learning, Zerrillo said the school was looking for something that would brighten everyone’s day, even if just for a little while.
“The idea of a drive by parade came from the teachers,” Zerrillo said. “They are the ones that really made this happen.”
Zerrillo said Sara Hernon worked on organizing the parade which passed through neighborhoods on April 1.
The idea of holding these kinds of parades has grown with other entities like fire departments and other organizations holding mini parades that give people a chance to get out and have a break from everything else going on while still maintaining the recommended six feet apart for safety.
“I think the idea came from seeing it on TV,” Zerrillo said.
The idea was circulated and the staff and administration were supportive of the concept.
“I think everyone needs something to brighten their day right now,” Zerrillo said.
Another teacher, Dana Dietz, mapped out the parade route following bus routes in order to go by homes of students who attend the elementary school.
An email went out to families to let them know what was going to be taking place.
Teachers and staff members gathered at the elementary school in the morning, keeping a safe distance apart, and got in their cars to drive the route, some with signs and balloons, waving and cheering as they passed students and their families.
Zerrillo said the Town of DeWitt police department was also supportive of the idea, offering an escort along the parade route.
Many families gathered along the route, waving and cheering, many holding their own signs, expressing their love and gratitude for the school.
Zerrillo said, along with letting parents know the parade would be taking place, the school worked to involve student from home as much as possible.
For example, the music teacher reached out to students and suggested they could play a piece as the parade went by for example.
Zerrillo said during a difficult time like this, these kinds of little acts can go a long way and demonstrate the best qualities of a community, bringing people together to share a few moments of happiness.
“This is a serious time,” Zerrillo said. “We just wanted to do something special for our students and our families.”
