BRISTOL — Connor Albert, a 10-year-old who began 5th grade after taking more than a year off for cancer treatment, arrived in style on Thursday.
Connor got a police escort and a rode to school with Bristol Mayor Ken Cockayne, two cruisers and two motorcycles
Earlier this week, a message of hope was placed on the fence at the school, welcoming him back.
“I’m so excited. It’s been so long since I’ve been in a classroom,” said Connor. “It just makes me so happy to see that people are cheering me on.”
“Sometimes it’s a little hard to come up with a new slogan. Sometimes I pick really long ones and that’s really daunting,” said Pat Zadrozny, a Librarian and Media Assistant at Southside. “I get such pleasure out of doing it and I know the people do so that’s why I do it.”
Pat said she’s excited to begin the new school year, and hopes Connor will enjoy it too. Southside Elementary School is located along Wolcott Street in Bristol. A fence separates the school fields from the street and locals have become accustomed to seeing messages of kindness and support pop up every few weeks.
Pat and her husband, Ben, put up the first message in 2014 which read “USA Brave.” The creations have grown more popular and consistent since then. Most of the fence messages stick with themes of kindness or inspiration.
Pat makes the messages by stuffing individual cups into specific rings in the fence that runs along the school property.
