Local Retiring Principal Gets Flash Mob Surprise

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Wednesday morning, Dr. Maree Price, Principal of Lonnie B. Nelson Elementary School, got a big surprise. “I was awestruck,” says Dr. Price. Almost six hundred students, teachers, staff members and even some parents participated in a flash mob to say goodbye. It’s a dance they all learned in just one week. Even Dr. Price couldn’t resist getting in on the fun. “They know I love to dance,” says Dr. Price. For the past five years, she has served as principal at Lonnie B. Nelson. Teacher Helen Barlow, who got the idea of the flash mob from Youtube, has been here for all of them. “I’m on year 9 and that sometimes seems like an eternity, so you add 30 years to that, she deserves something good to go out in style,” says Barlow. That’s right, Dr. Price is hanging up her hat, she’s retiring. “This is 39 years I’ve spent my life, 39 years I spent doing this and it has been a wonderful trip, I’ve loved almost every minute of it,” says Dr. Price. When we asked her what she would miss the most about this place, Dr. Price said her students and their humor. “I had a young man yesterday say, ‘Dr. Price, why are you retiring?’ and I said, ‘Well, I want to play,’ and he said,’Okay,’ like old people play,” says Dr. Price. But she’s looking forward to what she calls, her new life.