Madison Southern students host holiday activities for kindergarteners
Dec. 15—Blake Vickers
An idea between two teachers from two different schools started a partnership that brings joy and educational opportunities to kids every year, and the idea is expanding.
A variety of holiday games, crafts, and other activities were set up across four rooms at Madison Southern High School on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Many high school students were dressed up as characters from popular Christmas movies like "Elf" or "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" while leading games and activities for kindergarteners from Kingston Elementary School.
The scene on Wednesday is a familiar one to student from both schools as the program has taken place for the past five years. This year, Shannon Johnson Elementary School kindergartners also joined in the fun — the first expansion since the beginning of the program.
"Kelly Haynes, one of the kindergarten teachers here, came to me about five years ago and asked if I wanted to start doing collaborations between her kindergarten classes and my students on the Early Childhood Education pathway," Emily Alexander, family consumer sciences and early childhood development teacher at Madison Southern, explained in a previous interview with the Register. "It just kind of blossomed from there."
According to Alexander, the collaboration is a group effort for the 60 high school students who help put it all together. The effort could be clearly seen all around.
The library was set up with a reading of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," along with Grinch-themed cookie decorating stations and a few Who's from Whoville passing around the cookies.
One classroom also featured snow and ice-themed games with characters from "Frozen," while another was made to look like Santa Claus' workshop with elves guiding the kindergartners around.
While the festive atmosphere may not look like a typical learning environment, Alexander said getting that time with younger kids can be a vital opportunity for those students on Educational Development Pathway to learn more about their planned field.
"Any exposure to working with children, managing their behaviors, coming up with activities, experiments, and games that help them develop all areas. You know, physical, intellectual, emotional, social — all of those areas are so important to develop," Alexander said. "Most of our learning is zero to three, we are really trying to hit on developing all kinds of areas as they're in kindergarten."
Sophomore student Kelsey Abrams agrees.
On Wednesday, Abrams was dressed as Mrs. Claus and guided kindergarten students through a room filled with games including a reindeer-inspired take on a ring toss. She mentioned that this chance to interact with the kindergartners was important for her as a student on the Early Childhood Education pathway.
"I'm playing with these little kids and making sure that they're being extra good for Santa Claus," Abrams said. "I think this is a good opportunity. It gives us a hands-on experience with the kids and seeing what they're actually like. I love this. If you're really wanting to go into this field, this is a really good experience to have. It gives you a chance to see what the kids are like when they're in a place with lots of mental stimulation."
