When the horn sounded at 10:40 a.m. on February 12th, the Mildred Osborne Charter School band stepped off on what has become one of the most anticipated school parades in New Orleans East. But the celebration wasn’t just about one school—this year it was about bringing together schools and scholars from across the city.
For the first time, stars (and schedules) aligned so that Crescent City Schools campuses could join forces in a powerful Mardi Gras celebration. Scholars from Harriet Tubman Charter School traveled across town so that its band, royal court, and other spectators could join in the spirited procession that Osborne led around Kenilworth Park.
Angelo Cross, Osborne’s Director of Enrichment, has spent the past three years building this event from the ground up. Cross joined Crescent City Schools in 2013 after moving from Chicago, where he worked as a teacher and in community building. He spent a decade at Harriet Tubman Charter School before joining the team leading Osborne’s turnaround following the 2023 merger with Akili Academy.
The parade has grown each year since that merger. Cross describes that first year like a scene from Remember the Titans—two staffs finding common ground while combining and uplifting traditions from both schools. Three years later, the results speak for themselves: Osborne’s band recently earned third place at the Legion of Mars parade, competing against high schools and middle schools citywide. “I think this is about making a moment for kids,” Cross said. “Getting kids to be able to celebrate Mardi Gras, to build community with each other, and just have fun.”
This year’s event drew marching bands from Booker T. Washington, Abramson, St. Mary’s Academy, and Bethune. Tulane University sent ten football players to walk alongside scholars, and WDSU news anchor Daryl Forges returned as grand marshal for the second consecutive year. The Krewe of King Arthur contributed members to throw beads, while the NOLA DJ Truck kept the energy high along the route.
For scholars watching from the sidelines, the homecoming court added a special surprise from their float: handmade paper paws tossed into the crowd. Only 80 were made, and each one earned its catcher a coveted dress-down day. The parade was also streamed live on MOCS TV, the school’s student-run YouTube channel, allowing younger scholars and families across the network to watch from their classrooms and homes.
This year’s message of connection extends to any scholar hesitant to get involved; whether through band, homecoming court, or simply cheering along the route, there’s a place for everyone in Osborne’s parade. “I want students who have nervousness or anxiety about participating to know that we’ll take any student who’s willing to learn to be a part of an experience like this,” Cross affirmed.
He envisions a future where Osborne, Tubman, and Dorothy Height all march together—or where the parade’s reputation alone draws schools from across the city. Beyond the beads and brass, he sees the parade as an investment in scholars who have worked hard all year. “This is one of the things that we get to do to show scholars that we appreciate them,” Cross said. “We’re pouring back into students and want them to know that they’re loved.”
