FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – It was an exciting Monday morning as children throughout South Florida headed back to school.
"This is where the school day starts," Broward County Public Schools superintendent Robert Runcie said about the district's bus drivers. "We really appreciate them. We have one of the largest fleets for transportation in the country (with) over 1,200 buses doing lots of routes (and) transporting almost 80,000 students each day."
Students were rested, re-energized and ready for the new school year with waves and smiles.
Runcie greeted students back to Piper High School Monday morning.
"Really, I'm trying to keep an A average because I’m in a sport and I need to keep that up so I can go to college and get a good education," junior student Tamara Chambers said.
At Broadview Elementary School, a morning assembly packed a big surprise as Florida Panthers mascot Stanley welcomed students back to school.
"My favorite part is being with my friends and getting supplies," one student said.
Knowing it takes a village to make our schools and students successful, the Florida Panthers are partnering with the district this year to make that happen.
"Now we're going to be working on a floor ball program, which is kind of like a street hockey model in the PE classes to all different sorts of different efforts with our mascot out here having fun," Panthers chief of staff Sean McCaffrey said.
The superintendent will continue to visit schools throughout the afternoon.
Over in Miami-Dade County, students and employees were just as excited for the start of the school year.
"I love it. I love Dade County Public School students," Sharon Lewis, who has been a bus driver for 26 years, said.
"We are future ready, right here, right now, for Miami-Dade County public schools," Miami-Dade Public Schools superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.
Carvalho greeted bus drivers early Monday before they hit the streets.
He late popped up at Hialeah High School, which just received a nearly $15 million renovation.
"(It's a) nice way to end my senior year," Kelsey Herrera said.
The superintendent also visited the brand new, nearly $10 million Frederick Douglas Elementary, which is part of an ongoing, $1.2 billion bond package.
"This is in a community where 75 percent of the kids live below the poverty level, where 79,000 are still learning English," Carvalho said. "We are proving to America that a diverse community, an immigrant community, can outperform everybody else."
Not one Miami-Dade County public school received an F rating the previous school year.
But the first day of school wasn't just about hitting the books.
Miami Heat player Edrice "Bam" Adebayo and some of his fellow teammates made an appearance Monday at Jesse J. McCrary Elementary School.
"Some of them don't know how to react to someone who's really tall," Adebayo joked.
The players helped pass out school supplies to students.
"I feel blessed," Adebayo said. "I was once in these little kids' shoes, so it means a lot to me."