If the Macy’s Day Parade were held in a school, it would look an awful lot like the John W. Decas Elementary’s balloon parade Wednesday morning.

The school’s some 230 students carried 50 different balloons throughout the halls of the school, in their own version of the traditional parade in New York City every Thanksgiving.

Coordinator and STEAM specialist Melissa Dionne said this is the second year the school has put on the parade.

“The inspiration came from the book, ‘Balloons Over Broadway,’ which is the story of Tony Sarg, who sort of came up with the idea of the [Macy’s Day Parade] balloons,” Dionne said. “Instead of having a marionette … and … instead of having something where the strings hang down and a lot of ropes, something that could float and be seen by lots of people.”

She said she designed the parade and designing of balloons to link up with an educational component.

“They learn about helium, and how helium is lighter than air, and they learn about air, and the movement of air,” Dionne said.

Though every student designs a balloon, Dionne picks five designs from each of the 10 classrooms to go into the parade.

“I base it on their creativity, and what is unique that not a lot of other classes have done … and what I know can be accomplished in 40 minutes,” Dionne said.

Dionne said the kids enjoyed the parade, and that she saw some creative designs.

“We had a ninja, we had a couple who did a Decas Elementary design, we had ladybugs, flowers, elephants, giraffes – a lot of different kinds of animals,” Dionne said. “Mostly things that they created, and that aren’t commercial.”