June 02, 2025
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Teachers surprise students with inflatable costume race in Plano

Students cheered their teachers on at Emily G. Johns School

By Joey Weslo
Courtney Baker, dressed in a shark costume, high-fives students at Emily G. Johns Elementary School in Plano after teachers and staff members surprised students with an inflatables race on Tuesday, May 27. 2025 to celebrate the end of the school year.

Courtney Baker, dressed in a shark costume, high-fives students at Emily G. Johns Elementary School in Plano after teachers and staff members surprised students with an inflatables race on Tuesday, May 27. 2025 to celebrate the end of the school year. (Sandy Bressner)

Shelley Schmidt knows the rewarding part of being a teacher is cheering on the students as they pursue their dreams.

The retiring fourth grade special education teacher at Emily G. Johns School in Plano had an idea to celebrate the end of the school year with the students.

Teachers and staff members surprised students at Emily G Johns Elementary School in Plano with an inflatables race on Tuesday, May 27. 2025 after the all-school field day to celebrate the end of the school year.

Teachers and staff members surprised students at Emily G Johns Elementary School in Plano with an inflatables race on Tuesday, May 27. 2025 after the all-school field day to celebrate the end of the school year. (Sandy Bressner)

She wondered: “What if the students cheered on the teachers for a change?” The idea fell under top-secrecy as teachers selected inflatable animal and character costumes. Students were led outside to a surprise race course.

Each of the school’s teachers danced out of the school building wearing giant inflatable costumes, ranging from smiling sharks, a chicken jockey, a pink axolotl, a unicorn, a hopping cow, Olaf from Frozen and an upside-down clown.

As students yelled and cheered, the teachers lined up and sighted-down the course. The race comprised a trek down a hill, around an orange cone, and back up to the finish line.

“I thought it would be a fun way to end the year,” Schmidt said following the race. “It’s my last year so I wanted to do something special for the kids. They all really enjoyed the race. It was a wonderful surprise for them. We didn’t tell them anything leading up to it.”

Angelina Solano, as a cowboy on a horse, and other teachers and staff members surprised students at Emily G Johns Elementary School in Plano with an inflatables race on Tuesday, May 27. 2025 after the all-school field day to celebrate the end of the school year.

Angelina Solano, as a cowboy on a horse, and other teachers and staff members surprised students at Emily G Johns Elementary School in Plano with an inflatables race on Tuesday, May 27. 2025 after the all-school field day to celebrate the end of the school year. (Sandy Bressner)

Schmidt hopes the First Inflatable Costume Race will not be the last. She even offered to come back next year as the referee.

The other participating teachers all agreed that the kids worked so hard throughout the year and it was a wonderful experience to be able to celebrate and have fun with them in such a unique way.