Students at Davis, Doss, Hill, Pillow, Summit and Murchison were greeted by Anderson’s football players, mascot, cheerleaders and Trojan Belles in uniform on the first day of school.  While many were sleeping in as late as they could on that first day, these Anderson students were up early welcoming students at their feeder schools. 

“Our students loved seeing the older students at school when they arrived,” said Jenny Daniels, Davis Elementary School’s Principal. “What a great way for our students to come back to school on the first day, with the football players opening their car doors and the cheerleaders and Belles lined up as they walk into school.” 

“This is a tradition we will carry on for years to come,” Anderson Principal Donna Houser said.  “Our Anderson students had a blast helping our feeder elementary and middle school students on their first day back at school.  It is one of the many ways that our high school students interact with our feeder schools. It is a neat opportunity for our students and definitely builds a strong vertical team. ”

Back at Anderson, the seniors, led by Anderson’s Leadership Council, were busy on the Sunday before school, as well, with their own preparations to welcome students back to school. 

“The seniors always enjoy 'decorating' the student parking area to welcome back the underclassmen, so we decided this year to provide some structure for this activity,” Houser said. “I wanted to put positive energy around the parking lot decorations that the seniors typically like to do before the first day of school.”

More than 30 seniors joined Houser and Honey Weinstein, Anderson’s Leadership Council sponsor, to make posters and hang streamers so underclassmen would know they were welcome the first day.