OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — This morning, a group of men made the first day back to school extra special for students at an Omaha elementary.
It's the first day of school for Omaha Public School students.
"I'm okay, I think it'll be good...she's excited, it's a good place to be at," says mother Aaron Billings.
For Billings, this warm welcome was just what her kindergartner needed on her first day of school.
For nearly eight years now, Omaha Black Men United have welcomed students back to school for the Million Fathers March.
"The effort is designed to have fathers come into schools so they can become an integral part of their child's education," says Million Fathers March CEO Kenneth Braswell.
Fathers, grandfathers, uncles, mentors and father figures all made sure students were excited to begin a new school year.
"We do this work because we care about families...we care about moms...we care about children...we care about communities," Braswell says.
A message echoed by Mount View Elementary School Principal Meg Searl.
"We want parents to understand we want the positive experience for their children, so we need them as partners in that education so that their kids understand how important they think school is," she says.
The men tell us they look forward to seeing the kids' faces every year. Parents say they appreciate the effort.
