Bright Beginnings' eighth graduation

By Nancy Malcom

Nevada Daily Mail

Saturday night Bright Beginnings preschool held it's eighth graduation and spring program at the Nevada community center.

This year there were six graduates who will enter kindergarten this fall. All the students, as well as the graduates, performed for friends and parents prior to a slide show covering the events and special moments of the last school year.

Songs performed were "See See See," "Fly Little Bird," "Way Up in the Sky" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider," which was acted out complete with rain cloud, sunshine and spider.

A special ending to the evening included a gift from the graduates and their parents to Bright Beginnings school owner and teacher Tracy Sewell. Following the students' singing of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" Sewell was presented with documents showing a specific real star now bears her name.

Preschoolers performing were Quinton Hays, Braeden Hinton, Kiersten Ropelato and Emily Wilson. Also performing were the graduates -- Trevor Dennison, Dakota Harris, Connor Masters, Corbin Overton, Kelsey Wilson and Rylee Wingert.

When interviewed prior to graduation night, the graduates had various notions about graduation, preschool, and their futures.

Trevor Dennison said, "Graduation means I get to sing for Mom and Dad. My favorite part of preschool is the games. I don't know anything about kindergarten, and I've never been on a bus." He thinks he will like riding a bus, although he knows "all bus drivers are old people." When he grows up, he plans on a career like his father's. "I want to work in Kansas City building things with a tractor."

Dakota Harris said he looks forward to kindergarten although he has enjoyed playing games at preschool. "My favorite game is 'invisible dude,'" he said. This summer he will play a video game that involves driving an on-screen car. Although he has two siblings, they haven't given him any tips about school, "I think it will be fun. I want to be a scientist when I grow up, maybe a space scientist."

Connor Masters anticipated singing for graduation. As for the time in preschool he said, "I like art and the games. I like everything!" He plans on spending the summer swimming. His sister is 10 but hasn't told him much about school. He imagines kindergarten to be a "school for grown ups." When he grows up he wants to be a fireman because, "A fireman comes in and saves the day!"

Corbin Overton knows preschool graduation means she will be going to kindergarten this fall, where she thinks she will, "sit a lot, do crafts, and play." She said the best part of preschool was the crafts she learned to make. She plans on spending the summer playing with a toy farm set she has. When she grows up she wants to "Work with my Dad and be a horse rider."

Kelsey Wilson is excited about graduation because she will "get a gift and a diploma." She looks forward to kindergarten because she can "play and do a lot of singing, but you have to do a lot of hard work too." She plans on staying with her grandmother this summer with her little sister. When she grows up she wants to "be a teacher and teach kids."

Rylee Wingert can't wait for kindergarten because she will get to "color and learn to write at work time. And I'll get to play games and work too." This summer she will spend time swimming. "When I start school I'll get to ride on a bus and sit by my brother." And when she grows up, "I want to be a vet. They make pets feel better."

With this year's graduates, Bright Beginnings Preschool has 40 alumni students.

Sewell said, "When it's time to say goodbye, I feel a part of me goes with them."