The continued popularity of teacher-student parades share a lot of things in common, among them a real longing for some physical, if distant, connection between folks who knew they’d miss each other but maybe didn’t expect to miss each other this much.

The teacher parade for the students and families of Stevenson Elementary was no different. The bursts of joy on Friday afternoon were of such a degree that at least one person, with no connection to the school, was moved to dance, a testament to the moment’s happiness as well as parade organizers forethought to have one vehicle blasting Top 40 fare.

And yet, each parade is unique. Just a few days before, Prisk Elementary had held a “reverse parade” where families paraded by teachers because the school has open enrollment and draws from the entire city.

Stevenson is definitely a city school, located downtown amidst busy streets and, until recently, businesses, so allowances were made, one being that teachers were given a police escort through those busy streets—the parade ran between First and Anaheim, Elm and Orange. If anything, that only heightened the excitement of the moment as families came out on stoops and sidewalks to wave and cheer, creating an atmosphere so festive that one Downtown denizen asked if she was in the middle of a flash mob.