DETROIT – Across Metro Detroit, schools are going all-out to welcome students back for the new school year — and one growing tradition is the “clap-in.”
Community members, volunteers, and local organizations line school entrances to greet children as they return for the first day of classes, offering hugs, handshakes, and high-fives to set a positive tone from the very start.
At Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy on Detroit’s west side, dozens of volunteers gathered outside the school early in the morning to cheer students through the doors.
The atmosphere was warm and celebratory: supporters called out greetings, teachers and staff watched with relief and joy, and children responded with smiles and enthusiasm.
“We’re glad to see them back,” the school’s Principal, Dr. Jeffery Robinson, said, recounting how staff wondered during a recent meeting whether particular students would return. “How is this student doing?”
Volunteers came with a clear purpose.
“I want to see these kids with joy, walking into the school, like I once did. And see the smile on their face, and I just want to contribute to that smile,” said Keith D. Williams.
Groups involved in the clap-in included the Coalition of Black Trade Unions, Detroit 300, local pastors, police officers, 100 Black Men, educators, and other community supporters.
Michael Joseph, President of the Coalition of Black Trade Unions, said the effort is about more than a single morning.
“We’re unions, and we’re in the community,” Joseph said. “We love our children, and we want to wrap our arms around our children with love. Focus on academics. Focus on safety. And having a good life. We are just tired of some of the situations that have happened, and we want to uplift them on this special day. First day of school.”
School leaders say the visible welcome helps set the tone for the entire year.
“They’re never going to forget about this. These people I don’t even know care about me. These people I don’t even know love me. And we just want to encourage them to be the best that they can be,” Joseph said.
Volunteers also say the clap-ins are just the beginning.
Many groups are committed to ongoing support throughout the school year, including mentoring and other programs designed to boost student success and safety.
Looking ahead, Detroit’s Task Force on Black Male Engagement has another clap-in scheduled for Aug. 26 at Madison-Carver Academy Cornerstone School.
Volunteers plan to line up at 7:20 a.m. to greet students and continue the spirit of welcome across the district.