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By Chandler Inions

CLEMMONS — If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, the Clemmons Elementary PTA, staff and students just made a massive contribution to the area’s nutrition.

On Friday, visitors to Clemmons Elementary were greeted with an unusual sight outside the main office — several lines of cereal boxes, extended into the school building and weaving their way to the gymnasium. The domino-like line afforded an exciting scene for those in attendance as students, teachers and visitors cheered with each collapsing box.

In total, there were more than 11,000 cereal boxes, representing a schoolwide campaign to collect as many as possible and a partnership with Post cereal that got in on the philanthropy.

In the immediate aftermath, Fara O’Byrne of the Clemmons Elementary PTA said that you just have to go big or go home.

“I never ever thought in a million years that we would actually get to 5,000 boxes (from Clemmons alone),” O’Byrne said. “I was thinking we might get to 8,000 (total with Post’s contribution.) That we have 11,000 is mind blowing, incredible, insane.”

Last year, Clemmons Elementary found its way into the national spotlight with the first version of the cereal box domino challenge. In addition to O’Byrne’s TikTok video that garnered views in the millions, a clip of the cheering students and tumbling boxes was shown on Good Morning America. With an additional year to prepare, O’Byrne and her cohort made sure to make it memorable.

“This school community was like, holy cow, look what Clemmons did,” O’Byrne said. “Last year, it was brand new and they did not know what they were doing. This year was like oh my gosh, we remember how cool that was. Let’s do it even bigger and better.”

All stardom aside, O’Byrne said that the mission never wavered.

“I don’t think anyone is trying to get famous,” she said. “They are just like, let’s feed the people.”

With so many more boxes this year compared to last year, O’Byrne had to put here thinking cap on.

“For the last month, I have been watching domino videos at 3 o’clock in the morning,” O’Byrne said. “I got it. I did it.”

Last year, O’Byrne’s daughter did the honors of kickstarting the domino display. This year, it was Kinley Hicks who got the first push.

“This was kind of a rite of passage,” O’Byrne said.

The outpouring of support just confirmed to O’Byrne what a special place Clemmons is.

“We are extremely fortunate to live in this area where people can buy 4- and 5-dollar boxes of cereal in the hundreds and donate them to the less fortunate,” she said.

Mayor Mike Rogers was among those crowded into the cramped cafeteria to see the grand finale.

“In Clemmons, we are having Neighbors Helping Neighbors the whole month of February,” Rogers said. “It ties in with the Clemmons Food Pantry. This event with the cereal boxes will feed so many people for so many more months, a good nutritious breakfast.”

Rogers thanked Post for its contribution.

“They caught wind of this from last year’s event and they decided to donate 5,000 boxes of cereal,” Rogers said.

He also gave a shout out to the PTA and the school as a whole.

“We would like to thank the school, the PTA and the students for what they have done,” Rogers said. “Clemmons elementary school is led by Dr. (Wendy) Brewington. She has a wonderful PTA and a wonderful staff of teachers here. It’s a great community program here.”