Des Plaines Park District Creative Corners Preschool Graduates 39

The Des Plaines Park District Creative Corners Preschool graduated thirty-nine students on Thursday, May 14, in a ceremony at the Prairie Lakes Theater. As the children received their diplomas, Preschool Director Margaret Nuscher announced what the children want to be when they grow up. The career choices included doctors, police officers, dancers, athletes and teachers. A few were a bit less mainstream like knights that fight dragons, cowboys, Pete the Cat, and Princess Elsa.

The graduation ceremony included the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Nicholas Bardygula and Delaney Kroschel carrying the flag; welcome speeches by Bianca Gava, Madelyn Hernandez, and Maddison Sarg; graduation speeches by Rondell Adaya and Isabella Brandt; a presentation of the alphabet by Harlow Doerr; songs, including "Graduation Day" and "Oh, What a Miracle, announced by Ellie Feldman"; and a farewell speech by Garen Papazian and John Tsilipetros.

"The children are ready for kindergarten," Nuscher said. "We have blasted off to outer space, traveled back in time to meet the dinosaurs, enjoyed a King's and Queen's feast, turned the classroom into a pizza parlor, sailed a sailboat, pitched a tent, laughed, learned, and played."

"Beyond the scholastic training of letters and numbers, colors and shapes, we teach social interaction and independence," Nuscher said. "This group of 4- and 5-year-olds have the age-appropriate social skills of sitting still, listening, following directions, and playing and working well with others. Today, very few children attend kindergarten without some kind of preschool foundation, and our job is to give them a good start and teach them to love school," she said.

For more information on Des Plaines Park District Early Education Classes, call 847-391-5700 or visit www.DPParks.org.