PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Backpacks are being zipped, supplies are being packed, and buses are about to roll across Hampton Roads as students return to school Monday, August 18.

In Portsmouth, local students are closing out the summer and preparing for a fresh start with hopes of making new friends, setting goals, and stepping confidently into a new academic year.

“I’m kind of scared because it’s new people and it’s a new environment,” said Leigha Harper, a seventh grader heading to Cradock Middle School. “I’m looking forward to getting better at socializing.”

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Harper was one of several students getting r

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