WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Students at Hillsdale Elementary School in West Valley City marked a moment in the country’s civil rights history Thursday by participating in the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.

Bridges, who was 6 years old at the time, was the first black student to enter a formerly white school in New Orleans on November 14, 1960, when segregation began to end in that region of the country. Not received warmly at the time, deputy US marshals escorted Bridges to school that year for her safety.

As students now learn about what happened that day, Thursday’s walk aimed to inspire them for the future.

“We just want them to understand that this is a great opportunity to (learn) that everyone is important,” explained sixth grade teacher Lisa Von Gunten. “We just want them to know that they can succeed at anything they put their minds to.”

Tiana Angilau wanted to make sure her two children, Mable, 5, and Derek, 7, were among the students who walked in Ruby’s honor.

“It’s important, you know, as people of color, it’s like without it, like we can’t have this opportunity — to be able to go to public schools,” Angilau said.

The fact that Bridges became a civil rights activist as an adult is even more inspiring for students.

“The kids … I showed them the video of Ruby Bridges and they’re like, is she still alive? And they were so excited to know that she’s still alive and that we’re still celebrating her,” Von Gunten added.

Angilau is grateful that her children are beginning to understand what Bridges faced as a child, becoming the symbol of the public school desegregation movement.

“I want them to be able to know and understand that because of certain people like Ruby Bridges, they are able to live a free life,” she said, “and be around all these wonderful kids and wonderful teachers.”