Photos: Brooklyn students are back in school. We asked what’s on their minds.

Hint: They really missed their friends.

September 5, 2019 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Twins Mason and Madison, 6, pose with their 10-year-old brother, William. The boys are both excited for recess, but Madison says she's looking forward to math class. Eagle photo by Mark Davis

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Happy first day of school!

More than 1.1 million students across the five boroughs marked the start of a new school year Thursday morning. After a summer full of education stories, the Brooklyn Eagle enlisted some back-to-school correspondents to hit the streets and ask kids what they were looking forward to on their first day.

Here’s what they said:

“I’m most excited to see my friends — and I like doing math!” said Maya, a second grader who was “only a little” nervous for her first day at P.S. 34 in Greenpoint.

Second grader Nicholas said he’s most excited to meet new friends — and to see some old ones at P.S. 34. His younger brother Adrian, on the other hand, can’t wait for after-school. Why? “More playtime!”

“I’m excited to learn and have fun,” said Leyla, a second grader at P.S. 34. Her favorite subject is science.

Cooper, a first grader at P.S. 34, is looking forward to “gym…and friends.” His older sister Ella, starting fifth grade, says she like doing math and science.

Kamil, starting fourth grade at P.S. 34, said his favorite subject is “science — because we do experiments,” in the school’s new STEM lab.

Fifth grader Logan said he’s looking forward to “seeing my friends, mostly.” His favorite subject is reading, and he likes the “Sunny Side Up” book series by Jennifer and Matthew Holm.

First grader Leo is one of the few students looking forward to homework! His favorite subject is writing — and he just found out his new teacher once taught his older sister, Ellis. To the left, Ellis — headed into the fifth grade — is mostly excited to see her friends. She also assures Leo his teacher is a “good one.” Their parents are thrilled.

“I’m excited to see my friends and find out who my teacher is,” said fourth grader Natalie, on the left. Her friend Amanda, also in the fourth grade, gave our favorite answer of the day: “I’m excited to go into school and then go home right after.”

Seventeen-year-old Sky Castro is excited to start her senior year as class president at Summit Academy Charter School in Red Hook. “I’m looking forward to having a fun year, a successful year,” she said. “I want to have a blast this year, I want to be successful and I just want everything to go well. It’s my last first day of high school — so I’m kind of excited.”

“I’m looking forward to new friends and a better ability to learn new things,” said 17-year-old Jorbon Campbell.

Tiffany Williamson, 18, is excited about the new year. “I’m just looking forward to getting used to my classes, walking down the halls, meeting new people possibly,” she said. “Just doing the same thing as last year, the same routine, get good grades.”