Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS Key people involved in arranging Rian McDonald's special ride to school pose with Rian in front of the fire truck that brought him to school Friday. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

NASHUA – Seven-year-old Rian McDonald rode to school on Friday in style, including lights flashing and sirens sounding, which let everyone know he was arriving.

Rian’s special ride to school was part of a reading contest called “Let’s Go Places,” a program sponsored by the Nashua Public Library, Nashua police and Nashua Fire Rescue.

Rian read for 685 minutes during the six-week program, which took place about a year ago, when he was in kindergarten.

One of the prizes Rian chose was getting a ride to school in a fire truck – but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced his special ride to be postponed.

When Nashua Fire Rescue Chief Brian Rhodes pulled up in front of Rian’s house, the boy’s enthusiasm was evident the moment he saw the chief.

Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS Nashua Fire Rescue Chief Brian Rhodes pauses for a photo with Rian McDonald just before Rian boarded a fire engine for his special ride to school on Friday. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

Soon after Rhodes arrived, an NFR ladder truck, the department’s Special Hazards unit and Assistant Fire Chief Steve Buxton pulled up to his house.

Rian’s enthusiasm continued to increase as the firefighters greeted him and began to prepare him for the ride. Rian wasted no time in jumping into the front seat of the engine – the spot where the crew officer usually sits – and got buckled in for the ride he wouldn’t forget.

Firefighters took a long, roundabout route to Rian’s school – Fairgrounds Elementary School – so he would have a little extra time in the parade of trucks.

Rian, now a first-grader, was patient in collecting his prize. But it was well worth the wait: As he pulled in to the school lot, his grandparents were waiting, as well as the staff from the school. He jumped down from the truck, saying “that was an awesome ride.”

Christine McDonald, Rian’s mother, said it was a perfect combination – he loves to read and loves fire trucks. She said he was enthused to read no matter what the reward was, but this was a special treat for him.

Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS All buckled in and ready to go, Rian McDonald signals a thumbs-up to the group of people who arranged his special ride to school. The ride was a prize Rian won in the Nashua Public Library's "Let's Go Places!" reading contest. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

Rian took time to pose for photos with the firefighters and school staff. As soon as the photos were done he was ready to head into school to begin the day.

Rhodes and Buxton escorted Rian to the entrance, then he ran into school, anxious to tell his story.

Jenn Hosking, assistant director at the Nashua Public Library, said the “Let’s Go Places” reading program was a great way to keep students engaged and reading at the start of the pandemic when schools were operating remotely.

View “Rian’s Special Ride,” a video of the event, at

https://youtu.be/Tk10_9CV3kA.

–JEFFREY HASTINGS