HAWKINSVILLE, Ga. — With classes out in Pulaski County, over 20 teachers gathered at Pulaski County Elementary School on Thursday morning to surprise their students in a special and noisy way.
"We really just wanted to see our kids. We miss our babies," says organizer and kindergarten teacher Mitzi Helms.
Helms says the idea started this week when the district canceled food services, and all it took was making some phone calls and emails.
"Got to thinking about, 'How can we see them without really seeing them?' FaceTime is one thing, phone calls, that's another thing, and then text, but they want to see our faces and we want to see their faces, so that was it," she says.
The turnout was more than Helms and special education teacher Kitten Holder expected.
"It was fabulous. There was one child I remember in particular, he was standing on the corner and his face lit up when we came by. It was worth a million bucks," says Helms.
Holder was part of the motorcade. She says after teaching for 29 years, it was heartwarming to see so many familiar faces.
"Here in Hawkinsville, I know so many children, so for me, it was about seeing kids I've taught in the past, not just the ones I'm teaching right now," she says.
Both women say they look forward to when they can hug their students again.
The motorcade went through five neighborhoods in Hawkinsville.
FACTS NOT FEAR | At 13WMAZ, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the coronavirus. To see our full coverage, visit our site section here: www.13wmaz.com/Coronavirus.
STAY UPDATED | Click here to subscribe to our Midday Minute newsletter and receive the latest headlines and information in your inbox every day.
Have a news tip? Email news@13wmaz.com, or visit our Facebook page.