School is not yet in session, but hundreds of students took to the halls of Haltom High School on Saturday.
Freshmen spent the day learning their new campus, then being welcomed by staff and upperclassmen at a pep rally.
The class of 2029 learned the Buffalo fight song ahead of the first day of classes on Wednesday.
Outside the building, in the parking lot, Yosselin Morales painted her senior parking spot.
A senior parking spot at Haltom High School. (NBC 5 photo/Tahera Rahman)
“We’re going to have a Spiderman hanging down, and then we’re going to paint him and we’re going to do a little quote saying, ‘Let’s do this one last time,’” she explained.
It’s a special way for her to mark her fourth and final year at Haltom High.
“It just shows me that I got here. Not just for me, but for my family, for my parents,” she said.
It’s why she wanted her parents with her as she set up a pop-up canopy and braved the heat for hours.
“I’m the first one to graduate in my family,” Morales said as tears sprang into her eyes.
In Hurst, a lot of younger students waited in line with their parents for vaccines at a clinic held by the Immunization Collaboration of Tarrant County and Tarrant County Public Health.
Vaccines run through August 16th, Monday through Saturday, at $10 per dose for children and $15 per dose for adults.
Organizers said no appointment or insurance is required and folks can pay by cash, check, Medicaid, and CHIP.
They also said no one will be turned away for their inability to pay.
“If you go to the doctor without insurance, it would be pretty expensive to get them, so it’s nice that the county does offer this service,” said Chris Orner, a parent of two.
Orner said getting shots for his preschooler, Tiffany, was the last thing on their back-to-school list.
“They’re excited! I’m surprised, they’re ready to go back to see their friends. And Tiffany is excited to go to school, she keeps asking, ‘Do I go to school today?’” he said.