MILWAUKEE (WTMJ) — Messmer High School is rolling out the blue carpet — literally — to welcome students back for the first day of school.
Instead of a traditional red carpet, the school chose blue to match its school colors. The carpet lines the entrance as part of a larger welcome-back event held after 7 a.m.
Watch the video report below:
For the teachers greeting students, the first day is more than a formality. It is another chance to watch young people grow.
Katie Schumacher has taught Messmer for 17 years. Schumacher teaches American government. George Johnson, who previously worked in construction before transitioning to education, is now in his ninth year of teaching and leads the school's new construction class.
Both said the start of a new school year brings a renewed sense of purpose.
"Watching kids grow and learn and work hard and come out the other side a little knowing a little more than they did before, being part of that is so awesome and so I just feel like I feel lucky that I have a job that makes me feel like we've accomplished something together," Schumacher said.
Johnson previously taught at the middle school level, making this first day a full-circle moment as he reunites with some of his former students now in high school.
"And it's funny — you see them as little kids and now they're big, you know, almost on their way to being an adult. So I get excited every year just to see them come back from one summer to the fall just to see the growth," Johnson said.
The first day also carries personal meaning for English teacher Jamani Anderson. She now teaches freshman and junior students in the same hallways she once walked as a student herself.
"I wanted to help students that look like me to help them receive all the opportunities that I was given and to also let them see someone that looks like them teach them, so that they can see that anything is literally possible. You can do whatever that you set your mind to," Anderson said.
Another group of students is set to begin their first day of school next Tuesday.
—————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
