All Saints holds kindergarten, 4K graduation at Downtown City Square

By ZACHARY MARANO

zmarano@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood - All Saints Early Childhood Education Center in Ironwood held a graduation ceremony in the Downtown City Square on Thursday. This year, there were eight graduates from the school's kindergarten program and 13 graduates from its 4K program.

After leading her graduating class in prayer and reciting the pledge of allegiance, kindergarten teacher Nicole Hissa invited her students on stage one at a time to accept their diplomas. As they came up, Hissa asked the students what they wanted to be when they grew up and who they wanted to thank for making it this far, with most students naming their teachers, parents or grandparents.

"I thought they were wonderful," Hissa said told the Daily Globe of the kids' responses. "We were definitely a diverse group and everyone had something to offer to the class, so we all had great personalities and everyone just meshed together."

Hissa said that graduation came on the heels of a field trip to the Wildwood Wildlife Park and Safari in Minocqua, Wisconsin, on Tuesday. She said that in their time together, she and her kindergarten class toured many different parks in the area. She said they also cooked together, making green eggs and ham and "Cat in the Hat" pizzas to tie in with the Dr. Seuss stories.

Courtney Vincent, the 4K teacher, said that she did many sensory activities with her students to help them get ready for kindergarten, including cooking, crafts and sledding on the piles of plowed snow in the school parking lot.

The ceremony was well-attended by many proud parents and other family members sat on the grass or lawn chairs.