Students returning for the first day of school were greeted with a rousing welcome from neighborhood men who lined the entryway of the Mattahunt Elementary in Mattapan this morning. The event — inspired by similar events across the US— was intended to "get kids excited about education and going back to school by cheering for them as they get off the school bus or get dropped off by parents," said Rashad Cope, one of the organizers. City Councillor Ayanna Pressley, right, was also on hand for the welcome. Similar events were also held today in Roxbury and Dorchester. Photo by Wheelock College.