For Reginald Johnson, the memory is still clear. He remembers being small enough to cry for his Grandmother on his first day at Cairo Elementary School. “I cried for my granny.” Now, years later, he sits with his classmates as one of the oldest students in the building, preparing to leave the only school most of them have ever known.

Reginald is joined by fellow sixth graders Gerald Watkins, Jasper Cornelius Jr., Courage Davis, and Zyreik Heard, all of whom have spent most of their lives inside Cairo Elementary’s familiar classrooms. Nearly every one of them began their journey here as preschoolers. Cairo Elementary is not just a school to them—it is where they learned their first lessons, made their first friends, and slowly grew into the leaders younger students now look up to.

“I started here at the age of three,” Gerald said, reflecting a shared experience among the group. For many, this building represents years of growth and memories that stretch back as far as they can remember.

Now, that chapter is coming to an end. In just a few months, these students will move on to Cairo Junior High School. The transition brings excitement, but also uncertainty. “It’s like a new place, like you haven’t been,” Jasper said. “It’s older people there.” His words capture the reality they are all beginning to face. For the first time, they will walk into a building where they are no longer the oldest students, but the youngest.

Courage Davis admitted the change brings understandable nerves. “I’m kind of nervous about going, because I've never been there before,” he said. Courage’s honesty reflects what many students feel but may not always say out loud. Stepping into a new environment means adjusting to new routines, new expectations, and new responsibilities.

Others see the transition as an opportunity for growth. “I feel good,” Reginald said. “It just feels like I’m starting all over again.” His words reflect a sense of optimism and readiness for the next stage of his education.

Leaving Cairo Elementary also means leaving behind a place filled with meaningful memories. One student expressed it simply but powerfully: “I’m gonna miss elementary. I had a lot of good memories here.” Those memories include teachers who guided them, friendships that shaped them, and experiences that helped them grow into who they are today.

The move to junior high also brings new academic challenges, and several students are eager to take them on. “I look forward to learning how to do algebra,” Reginald said, showing excitement about tackling more advanced math. Gerald echoed that enthusiasm, saying, “I look forward to doing math too.” Their interest reflects a readiness to engage with new material and continue building their skills.

Sports will continue to be an important part of their lives as well. Many of the students already participate in athletics and plan to continue. One student shared, “I play football, basketball, and track,” and said he plans to stay involved in basketball and track when he reaches junior high. These activities provide not only physical challenges but also opportunities to build teamwork, discipline, and confidence.

Family connections also help ease the transition. Several students have older siblings or cousins already attending Cairo Junior High, offering guidance and reassurance. Knowing they have someone familiar in the building gives them a sense of comfort as they prepare to enter a new environment.

As they prepare for this transition, the students are already thinking about what it will take to succeed. When asked what advice they would share, their answers reflected both maturity and understanding. “You gotta pay attention,” one student said. Another added, “It’s a big change,” while a third offered perhaps the simplest and most powerful advice of all: “Stay focused.”

Those words reflect the reality of what lies ahead. Junior high will bring new challenges, but it will also bring new opportunities to grow, learn, and discover who they are becoming.

For these sixth graders, Cairo Elementary will always be home. It is where their educational journey began, where they found their voices, and where they built the foundation for their futures.

Soon, they will walk into a new building, carrying with them the lessons, memories, and confidence they developed here. They may no longer be the oldest students in the building, but they will carry something just as important—the experience of everything that brought them to this moment, and the knowledge that they are ready for what comes next.