Rio Vista Elementary students walk to school in honor of Ruby Bridges
Cynthia White
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – Some students at Rio Vista Elementary in Cathedral City symbolized a moment in history on Friday as they walked to school to honor the courage of Ruby Bridges, the first African American student to attend an all white elementary school in the South.
The Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day event also promoted unity, kindness, and equality.
Ruby was six years old in 1960, during the Civil Rights Movement. Her courage and bravery in attending William Frantz Elementary in New Orleans, Louisiana made headlines because many people opposed school integration at that time.
Federal marshals had to escort her to school every day to protect her from angry crowds who didn’t want her there.
Rio Vista Principal Aaron Tarzian says the event is important for the students because, “It shows the power that children have to be leaders in our community and actually make an impacting change on the whole world.”
Tarzian adds, “I’m just really proud of our kids. Our students are all leaders in their own way, and I really like to show them a point in history that can be a good example for them so that they have the power to do the same for themselves right now.”
The mile-long walk started at the Stater Brothers parking lot at Landau and Vista Chino in Cathedral City.