The first day of school: Bells, bikes, buses and big feelings
As millions of students return to school, NPR explores the emotional transition of the first day through the lens of various school traditions. The piece highlights how schools use mentorship programs to help younger students manage nerves and build community.
Why it matters
The first day of school is a significant cultural milestone that impacts student well-being and long-term academic adjustment.
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It's Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer — and the beginning of another school year. From coast to coast, about 54 million students are returning to classrooms — some familiar, some entirely new.
Every school marks the first day in its own way. Reporters from NPR and its member stations visited four schools around the country to capture some of those first-day feelings: the nerves, the excitement, the traditions and the tears.
When Nichole Sakellarion became principal of Micheltorena Street Elementary 11 years ago, she noticed her youngest students struggled with the transition to elementary school. So she started what has become a tradition: welcoming kindergarteners to school a day early.
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