Everything is just a little brighter on the first day of school, and for thousands of students in Milford, Wednesday was the day.

A swarm of elementary school children, some of them toting backpacks almost as large as their frames, walked into Memorial Elementary School, or jumped off the buses, excited to start a new year.

Dajia DeJesus, 6, started the first grade at the elementary school. She was excited, her father said, because for the first time she'll be walking to school. On the first day, she had a family escort.

Her father, Benjamin, mother, Lisa and younger brother all walked with her on the first day.

Principal Lisa Burns was on hand at the entrance, greeting students arriving for their first day. She posed for a few pictures, gave welcoming hugs and introduced herself to students.

Burns is a new principal this year, having succeeded Francis Anderson, who retired in June.

All of the Milford schools reopened Wednesday, relatively free of the power outages lingering from Tropical Storm Irene, which have forced a delay in opening at some schools in surrounding districts.