A Michigan boy decided to do something special at his adoption hearing: invite his entire kindergarten class to come celebrate with him.

According to CNN, 5-year-old Michael Orlando Clark Jr. had a memorable day at the courthouse in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Thursday. As the boy's adoption was finalized in the courtroom, his classmates sat in the audience behind him, waving hearts attached to wooden sticks. 

The children also had a chance to express their love for their classmate when the judge asked them to speak.

"I love Michael," one of the boy's classmates said. Another said, "Michael's my best friend."

Michael's mother worked with his teacher to arrange a class field trip to the courtroom for the boy's special day.

"We began the school year as a family," Michael's teacher told WZZM . "Family doesn't have to be DNA, because family is support and love."

Michael was one of 36 children who was adopted Thursday as part of the 23rd annual Adoption Day in Kent County, WZZM reported.

"Sometimes their journeys have been very long, they've included miracle and change for the children and family and incredible community support as you're able to see today in Michael's adoption hearing," Judge Patricia Gardner said.

The Kent County Facebook page described the emotions as the children were being adopted, saying "there is not a dry eye in Judge Patricia Gardner’s courtroom." 

According to CNN, Michael has been living with his new father and mother as a foster child for the past year.

"We didn't have any kids prior to that, and things got pretty chaotic in a hurry," the boy's father told CNN.