Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
SHOWING THAT life is more fun when you hop are kindergarteners performing during their Thursday graduation program at Hurley K-12 School. From left are Logan Peite, Blake Lardinois, Adalyn Rice, Fischer Morgan, Aryanna Hedman, Kennedy Trcka, Ellie Furyk and Sawyer Strand. Music teacher Jesika Cane directed them.
By P.J. GLISSON
Hurley - Kindergarteners from the Hurley K-12 School received their diplomas in a Thursday graduation program, but not before they performed a song and shared with the audience their dream careers.
The long line of tykes took an extended snake walk throughout the school auditorium before lining up on the stage to perform the song "What I Am" by the rapper Will.i.am.
Music teacher Jesika Cane directed the kids, who all wore matching turquoise T-shirts over their regular outfits and took turns holding up signs with uplifting messages such as "wonderful," "brave" and "magical."
Elementary Principal Steve Lombardo welcomed the audience to "a very special day" and thanked a list of people involved in "helping them learn and helping them grow."
The school's two kindergarten teachers are Jan Swetkovich and Mikayla Sobrack.
Lombardo reminded how fast time passes and how quickly the kids will be 2034 graduates of Hurley High School. "We're gonna enjoy the ride," he said of the years until then.
In providing additional remarks, District Administrator Kevin Genisot urged everyone to "savor all the special moments" such as that day.
Afterward, one by one, each of the little graduates displayed to the audience a photo of his or her dream career, with some of them caving in to some charming timidity and others storming the stage with the confidence of a politician.
The most popular career choice was as a police officer. Other anticipated roles included teacher, nurse, dog walker, veterinarian, fisherman, nurse, artist, bird scientist and hunting guide.
Adalyn Rice said she wants to be "a horse rider," and Ansley Skoviera said, "When I grow up, I want to be a momma."
Leslie Kolesar, School Board president, presented diplomas to most of the 31 graduates. An exception was Zeke Novascone, who received his from his mom, Jessica Leinon-Novascone, a School Board member.
The printed program included messages from the Robert Fulghum book "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten," which was printed on the back of each student's shirt.
As noted in the program, Fulghum's messages extol the joys of naps and cookies, while also advising to play fair, clean up your own mess and "be aware of wonder."
