Kids sharing and caring

MINERAL COUNTY – As Valentine’s Day put love in the air, the county’s kids got to end the day with parties as the elementary school classes held miniature celebrations in honor of the big day.

On the day itself, most of the classes held parties where the kids exchanged valentines and had candy among other treats. Apart from the cookies and candy, Diana Campbell’s second grade class at Superior Elementary also had heart shaped peanut butter sandwiches and other treats.

“We ate cookies and cupcakes and a muffin,” said Lanie Crabb, a second grade student.

Crabb said she had fun with the day and her favorite part was celebrating with her class. Other classes had a variety of other treats as well.

Staci Crabb’s fourth grade class in Superior had banana splits during their party. According to Staci, the kids were tasked to bring in toppings for the class to share. They also had fun with board games after their ice cream treats.

In Alberton, the kids held similar parties. Most of the Alberton parties also included something different. After the kids passed around their valentines and had a desk-full of treats, the classes watched movies. The first graders watched a Madagascar movie while the second and third graders watched Shirley Temple’s Heidi.

In the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, the kids worked on various projects as part of their regular lessons. Many of the classes made construction paper mailboxes for valentines to be put in. Others also made Valentine’s Day-themed decorations for the room or as something fun to take home.

“We didn’t finish but [we made] hearts,” Alberton First Grade Teacher Marla Nelson said.

The kids were charged with energy as the parties got under way. The pent up excitement was palpable as, before the party started, the kids could barely sit still as they waited out the preparation time between lessons ending and the party starting. Many either abandoned the patient waiting game to move restlessly around the room or toughed it out by talking to a neighbor.

True to childhood custom, many of the younger kids had mixed feelings about the nature of Valentine’s Day. There were many kids who gave cries of ‘eew’ at the mention of love being associated with the day. There were also conversations where the kids reassured one another a valentine did not make them boyfriend and girlfriend.

The Valentine’s Day party was Staci’s favorite. While the parties for Halloween and Christmas are also fun, they tend to be more about other things. She said the one on Valentine’s Day was all about sharing thoughts and being kind to others.

“Valentine’s Day is always my favorite because the kids are really considerate of each other,” Staci said. “I think it’s a special time where they think of others.”

As the day came to a close, the teachers struggled to wrangle the sugar charged kids to clean up. In many classes the kids brought along a box or bag to put the things they wanted to keep in so they would not be thrown out.

In Superior, as the kids gathered in the schoolyard to wait for parents and busses, most of the kids were loaded down with extra stuff. Boxes, bags and containers of food gave silent testimony to show it was anything more than a normal day at the school.