ABOVE; MS. MEAGHAN’S CLASS. BELOW, MS. MARY’S CLASS. PHOTOS BY SARA SANDSTROM[/caption]

It is a tradition in the kindergarten classes at Nederland Elementary School (NES) to have a graduation and celebration to send the students to first grade. Principal Caleb Melamed welcomed families in both kindergarten classes. This year the whole school was celebrating Career Day the same day so the kindergarteners came dressed up in an outfit that they might have to wear for their career someday.

The kindergarteners prepared a drawing of themselves in their future career and wrote about what they want to do. There were a variety of careers from firefighters to chefs to singers to workers in the medical field. Then they told the audience of parents and grandparents how they will help the world. This fit in nicely with a song they sang. With their voices and using sign language they sang Jack Johnson’s version of Ben Harper’s “With My Own Two Hands.”

Even at their young age these kids are learning that they can have a part in making the world a safer place, a brighter place, a kinder place…but they have to use their own two hands. From “With My Own Two Hands,” they sang, “...I can comfort you with my own two hands. But you got to use, use your own two hands…use your two hands…”

It is such a sweet song and coming from children there were some tears in the audience.

The kindergarteners also read a poem together and sang and had actions to the song “ABC You Later.”

Then each student was presented with a certificate to honor their completion of kindergarten at NES. The celebration ended with lots of cheering, and of course, snacks for everyone.

Congratulations to Ms. Meaghan’s kindergarten class:

Hayden Andrews

Esme Ansari

Emmy Lou Cameron

Paige Caniglia

Cameron Case

Salix Devine

Madalyn Dobson-Beck

Zalie Gormley

Cedar Hall

Alice Harmon

Thomas Hendricks

Benhart Hopkins

George Jarril

Rocky Kaufman

Kaladan Loughlin

Damien Webster

Evelyn Wilson

Nadya Zawalsh

Congratulations to Ms. Mary’s kindergarten class:

Henry Bliss

Sequoia Bonadies

Ophelia Bundy

Elise Coombs

Lilikoi Coronna-Salinas

Jane Epp

Parker Frey

Wynter Gaventa

Wade Hoyl

Case Jarril

Billy Joslin

Gabriel Livingston

Gavin Makela

Evalyn Munoz

Lilah Pietrykowski

Havanah Stevenson

Finn Thomason

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