Today, as the country continues to debate how best to reopen schools amid the pandemic,

we begin a special series about what happened in a school district that was among the first

to try.

On a crisp Friday last October, a notably normal scene was playing out in the

old band hall of a high school in West Texas.

School had just let out for the day and the members of the Odessa High Marching Band were

getting ready for their first game of the season.

And they were giddy.

As they pulled on their new bright red uniforms, then filed out the door to board the bus

waiting outside.

And as the bus made its seven mile journey across town to the stadium.

Oh, we're going to do our song, the art tradition.

They sang.

Got sentimental about the passage of time.

It was like just just a day.

I came in as a freaking freshman.

I didn't know how to play.

Sitting on this bus going down this street to Ratlin.

And briefly, you know, it's crazy about a year ago we probably would have never thought

there would have been a pandemic.

Disgust current events.

I thought maybe when I was like mid-age, you know, something would happen.

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