Ms. Eastman, right, along with Mrs. Finn, left, pose with their kindergarten class for a picture in the music room. [Photo by Elle Eastman]

***This article was written by Elle Eastman, a participant in The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust Fund.

The Wethersfield kindergarten classes celebrated their 100th day of school on Thursday. The highly anticipated day is full of activities and marks a milestone for the kids as they grow throughout the school year.

To celebrate the 100th day of school, the students participated in a parade. To prepare for the parade, the students customized shirts with their parents. The idea was to use their creativity and apply the 100th day theme. To show off their hard work they paraded through the elementary halls and classrooms.

Mrs. Gomez’s class also enjoyed 100 day activities. [Photo by Elle Eastman]

The kindergarten teachers also prepared various activities pertaining to the number 100 that included students counting and sorting objects with their sixth-grade buddies, writing their name and staying silent for 100 seconds and taking 100 steps.

From left, Wethersfield kindergarten teachers Mrs. Gomez and Ms. Eastman and classroom aids, Mrs. Finn and Mrs. Miskinis. [Photo by Elle Eastman]

Leading up to this day, the students had been learning how to count to 100 using visual aids. They used a pocket chart to help track their progress throughout the year by bundling ones and tens eventually leading to the big 100 bundle. They also used the classroom caterpillar to learn to count to 100 and strengthen skills such as number recognition and recognizing color patterns.

By commemorating this milestone, the students are given a sense of accomplishment and pride for their perseverance throughout the academic year. It makes their learning experiences more positive and memorable, which serves as a motivating factor to their future growth and success.