Zane Daniel Flores is all smiles as he awaits bus no. 74 that will take him to Harrison Elementary in Prince George County just outside of Fort Lee. The kindergartner started his first day of school Sept. 12. His experience is typical of military c...

Zane's playing partner and younger brother, 3-year-old Beau, wears a long face after seeing his brother board the bus for school. "I'm not worried much about Zane," said Hollie Flores, Zane's mom. "I'm worried about Beau. I think he'll bug me all d...

FORT LEE, Va. (Sept. 15, 2011) -- Zane Daniel Flores was not unlike any 5-year-old starting school for the first time. His kindergarten class at Harrison Elementary School began Monday, but the anticipation came much earlier.

"He's been talking about this for about four months," said his mother, Hollie Flores.

Zane's eagerness to attend school reached new heights the night prior.

"He was so excited he didn't know what to do," said Mrs. Flores. "I had to make him lie down, then he kept coming out of his room, asking 'Is the sun up? Is it time to go?'"

Zane's dad, Staff Sgt. José Flores, was given time off for the occasion and helped to calm him. He prepared pancakes at first light and allowed Zane and his brother, Beau, to flip them.

The first-day-of-school experience was new to Staff Sgt. Flores as well. He has older children, but military duties have prevented him from being a firsthand witness. Zane's first day permitted him to see what he missed.

"I was excited," he said with a hint of emotion. "It made me feel really nice. It was very memorable."

Zane -- one of 2,000-plus grade-school students in the Fort Lee community -- will hopefully have many more memorable moments over the academic year.