ASHLAND — The students sat on the edge of the curb, watching intently for the pieces of candy to come flying through the air.
Wednesday morning got off to a boisterous start with a parade at Crestview Elementary School. The lineup included the high school sports teams, the high school band and flag corps, a clown, fire trucks from the Franklin Township and Savannah fire departments and cruisers from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
The annual back-to-school parade has been a tradition since the current Crestview Elementary School building was built almost 20 years ago. The construction workers who built the school were part of the first parade, according to elementary media aide Becky Given.
“It’s just been a community thing that we’ve done to help get the kids excited for school,” she said.
This year’s parade had a Western theme. The district’s new superintendent, Jim Grubbs, wore a cowboy hat and a sheriff’s star as he threw candy from the back of a pickup truck.
Grubbs, who was hired by the board in May, said he enjoyed the chance to get to know students and be a part of the community.
“Every school has certain traditions that they do that are just a staple in the community that says, ‘This is who we are,’ ” Grubbs said. “It’s important that we make connections with our kids on the first day of school.
“I think that tradition provides that opportunity.”
