Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.  The circus came to town early this year. Usually, it happens in the spring but this year, Nederland Elementary School teacher and circus ring leader Mary Joyce will be on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, shooting white water rapids.

After years of fine tuning the circus production, she decided she would switch dates rather than miss one of her favorite events. There is nothing as satisfying as watching a child who had a hard time doing a somersault grow into person who can walk the balance beam and leap off the end with ease.

What made this event extra special is the fact that the school leaders, the fifth graders, were the announcers, the lighting technicians and the volunteers who assisted the performers. They made sure no one was hurt. They took their jobs seriously.

Some of the performers added a dash of color to their style and some of the girls wore dresses that shined in varying shades of pink. Some of them were a little hesitant and relieved when they completed their acts. Others had it all under control and loved taking a flamboyant bow at the end of their performance.

Throughout it all, circus music kept the atmosphere lively and loud, just the way the kids like it.

In 2006-2007, NES second graders wrote a poem describing their feelings about the annual circus at the end of the gymnastics session.

Do you know what fun is?

Zipping up the ropes

Somersaulting in the hamster wheel

Running and jumping on the vault

Swaying on the bongo boards

Charging up the cargo net

Swinging on the blue bars

Balancing on the balance beam

Tumbling down the ramp

Growing tall on the stilts

Being steady on the unicycle

Walking on the ladder

Juggling with the scarf

Do you know what fun is?

On Wednesday and Friday, November 15 and 17, 2017, Nederland Elementary School students demonstrated what they had learned in their gym class and parents were invited to come and watch. Each child had a chance to choose their favorite gymnastic activity and take a bow when they were finished.

It was an awesome circus, a day filled with physical prowess and accomplishment