Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy, Hamilton County Commissioner David Sharpe and Juvenile Court Judge Robert Philyaw were among several community leaders who lined up at the main entrance to Brainerd High School to welcome students back on Wednesday morning.
"I was nervous and scared," Dakota Putman, a junior at Brainerd, said as classmate Mariah Carter agreed. "We liked the energy, it's different."
Both Putnam and Carter said that with the welcome they feel good about the school year and look forward to having a good one.
"Let's go Brainerd, let's go," teachers and community leaders chanted as the students got off the bus and made it into the main entrance.
After breakfast, students met at the gym where Executive Principal Crystal Sorrells led a pep rally accompanied by Brainerd High School alumni and teachers. LaDarius Price, Cempa Community Care's community outreach administrator and one of the organizers of the welcome back event, led the students in self-affirmations.
"I am a success, no matter what anyone says," Price said, having the students repeat after him.
Price told the Chattanooga Times Free Press by text message that it's important for the students to know their community loves them and is behind them.
"We often negate the fact that not every child has someone at home to push them and encourage them," Price said. "On the first day of school you have the ability to set the tone for the overall morale and climate of the building. Students having community leaders and influencers there to cheer them on the first day opens the door for positivity and a celebratory mindset!"
Price led several events for young people after two mass shootings in Chattanooga, such as round-table discussions to open up dialogue among teens, community leaders, teachers and parents, as well as the "No Smoke Sunday" events in July aimed at curbing gun violence among young people. He said the least adults can do is show support.
A May 28 shooting downtown left six teenagers injured, and a June 5 McCallie Avenue shooting incident resulted in three dead, with 14 injuries.
"I've watched kids show up to school in Ubers because they want to be there," Price said. "The least we can do is be there, waiting on them and show how much we love them and support their decision to be educated."
Brainerd graduate and 1996 Olympian Venus Lacy was front and center Wednesday and offered support and encouragement to all those who walked through the doors of her former alma mater.
"(LaDarius) told me that they were having this," Lacy told the Times Free Press. "It's my first time ever, so it was my pleasure and honor to come back to the school that I graduated from and be here for the students."
Lacy led the Brainerd High School basketball team to the 1983-84 championship and went on to win a national championship at Louisiana Tech University and was named the nation's top player during her senior year of college.
"I want to be more involved with the students here at Brainerd High School, this is my stomping grounds," Lacy said. "They (the teachers and coaches) gave me so much here, it helped me go to college, which led me to get a degree in sociology and a minor in English, so this is where it all started."
Contact La Shawn Pagán at lpagan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow her on Twitter @LaShawnPagan.