NASH, Texas - Now that schools have been closed for more than a month, officials at Nash Elementary and the city of Nash have joined forces to bring some joy to the community with a Social Distancing Parade to be held Wednesday.
The parade will begin at Nash Elementary School. It will be led by Nash Mayor Robert Bunch.
Police units and fire trucks will follow, along with teachers honking their horns and shouting words of affirmation to students from their cars. The Texarkana Independent School District Food Truck and the Tiger mascot will also be in the parade and TISD Superintendent Paul Norton and his family will ride in the parade's last car.
Nash Elementary Principal Patti O'Bannon said they got the idea for the parade from other districts across the state that have held similar events. They then reached out to Bunch and city planner Doug Bowers, who the principal said was "thrilled" at the idea and then planned the parade route.
"Some of my teachers saw it and said "we HAVE to do this!" O'Bannon said. "It is has very difficult for both teachers and students to be distanced during this time. Our teachers desperately miss their students, and with the way things happened so quickly leaving for spring break, and then not returning, it just breaks out hearts to not be able to see our students every day."
Those along the parade route are encouraged to dress up and create signs to show their Tiger pride. They are also requested to practice social distancing and remain in their own driveways and not enter the street during the parade.
"Our purpose and goal is to reach out to our community and students to just let them know that we miss them, we love them and we can't wait to see them again," O'Bannon said. "It is our hope that the entire community will step out into their yard at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening, regardless of whether they have children at Nash Elementary and let us help spread the message of joy and hope throughout our community."
(The parade route is available online at txkisd.net/pdf/slider/Nash%20Covid%20Parade.pdf .)