Thirty-nine K5 students at Pike Liberal Arts School graduated to “big school” Wednesday morning but with the knowledge that “School is over. Summer is here but learning never ends.”
The graduation ceremony offered an opportunity for each student to be in the spotlight. The students presented their ABCs and each letter highlighted something they learned during the year. The students sang songs of appreciation for their parents and for their Patriot Pals.
At PLAS, members of the senior class choose to become Patriot Pals. Each participating senior is paired with a kindergarten student and becomes a special pal. The pals do fun things at school together and do some serious things, too, things like “math.”
Caleb Gray and Thierry Freeman are Patriot Pals. Thierry said having a big pal like Caleb was “great” and he was going to miss him next year. Caleb said he would miss his little pal and will keep in touch with him, not just next year, but in the coming years.
As part of the graduation program, a parade of students looked to the future and what they might want to be when they “grow up” from a teacher or a baker to one who marches off to “protect our country.”
Each kindergarten student received a “graduation certificate” and with the headmaster’s handshake became a rising first grader
If there were any misty eyes in the PLAS cafetorium, they belong to the parents and grandparents. With the fluttering away of butterflies that accompany kids on stage, the students sat criss-cross applesauce and watched a PowerPoint presentation from the beginning of the school year to springtime at PLAS. They laughed and giggled as their kindergarten year “flashed” before them.
Then, it was time to go home and let summer begin.
“This was a wonderful group of kindergarten students,” said Becky Baggett, assistant headmaster. “This is one of the largest kindergarten classes that we’d had. It’s been a long time since we’ve had three kindergarten teachers.”
Baggett congratulated the students on a job well done and expressed appreciation to their parents for their support.
“Pike Liberal Arts School is one big family,” she said. “Any time we have an event, the place is packed with parents and grandparents. Family support at PLAS is outstanding and it means so much to the students.”
Ceil Sikes, headmaster, congratulated the kindergarten students on their graduation and wished them all the best as they grow and learn. Sikes will turn the reins of leadership over to Baggett on June 1.
“PLAS will be in good hands,” she said. “Mrs. Baggett and she will do an outstanding job and the school will continue to meet the needs of the students.”