In less than a month our fifth grade students will close their days at Wedgwood School. While we accept this annual rite of passage, we cannot help but wonder what their experiences at Wedgwood were like? Mrs. Schroeter-Stokes recently posed such a question to a handful of fifth graders. Here, I take you down the memory lanes of our fifth graders…..
In March 2006, the fifth graders went on a three-day camping trip to Cedar Springs near Lake Stevens. It was part educational retreat and wilderness outing. For a majority of the fifth graders polled this was their most memorable moment in their Wedgwood years. Imagine missing three days of school, away from parents, how grown up! For the students, though, the noteworthy memories were time spent in cabins with their classmates and friends. There were late-night pranks in the cabins. But mostly the students loved the camaraderie of their friends. During the day they went on hikes, learning about various types of trees. A popular event was archery; another was reaching the top of a climbing wall. And the piece de la resistance? The food! They raved over chicken burgers and French toast with syrup and sprinkled sugar! The food definitely “rocked”.
While many students reminisced about Cedar Springs, some recalled a specific moment. A paper mache frog created as a fourth-grade art project ended up being a cherished “pet”. A well-done skit is recalled, with a thought that using his Dad’s idea for the skit was probably not ethical, only to be brushed it off with: “Hey, I was just an eight-year old. I couldn’t know right from wrong.” One student learned that practice makes perfect as her hard work resulted in her finally being able to ride a unicycle. Two classmates prepared for a fourth grade spelling bee, studying more than 500 words. They cited how they supported each other as a team in the hopes of doing well at the bee.
Some moments were not as positive. A student recalled how shocked and stunned she was when a slight prank resulted in chocolate milk spilling out of her friend’s mouth, onto her brand-new khakis. But it was an important lesson because she learned to get through the moment and it has prepared her for future situations like those. Doesn’t that sound like growning up?
Friends were a major part in our students’ lives, both in and outside the classroom. Many friendships were formed, and lost, or have endured.
In looking back at the five or so years at Wedgwood, it is evident that our fifth graders have fond memories to take with them as they embark toward the threshhold of middle school. Many of our students will be attending the neighboring Eckstein Middle School. Others will be headed toward Washington, Hamilton, or even out of town. But one thing is certain: their years at Wedgwood have made an indelible impression in the foundation for their future, in learning and living.
Wedgwood Ffth Grade Promotion will be held on June 15th. Congratulations, Fifth Graders! The Wedgwood School Community is proud of you! We wish you the best in your future!
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