BY KEIRSTEN JOHNSON, Family Engagement Specialist
PETERSBURG – The Lew Williams Center for Early Learning, located at 901 34th St. S, turned their parking lot into a cornucopia of fun last Friday, Oct. 26. Once the school day ended, teachers, staff and parents packed in for the fifth annual Fall Festival.
Trunk or Treat was the order of the day when each classroom decorated a staff member’s trunk with interactive games to go along with their chosen theme. The kiddos won various prizes from noisemakers to bubbles, to stickers and stamps.
The fun included a Monopoly station, pumpkin toss, and even a teacher-operated train ride—which was really a decorated wagon–that hauled the center’s precious cargo around the festivities. As usual, Director Ulas Butler stole the show with his patented game “Feed Lil’ Lew.”
The object of the game was for the little tykes to throw goldfish (wads of balled-up masking tape) into the mouth of Lil’ Lew, the center’s turtle mascot, which of course, was Mr. Butler’s tricked out trunk. The line was 20 deep with kids all waiting to win up to three live goldfish.
To my delight, I was informed by a few parents that some of the goldfish won at last year’s fall fest were still alive and well. It seems we have a few budding marine biologists in our midst.
While munching on hot dogs and chips, the excited youngsters played in the pumpkin patch and had their faces painted while parents tried in vain to keep up with them.
The Lew Williams Center for Early Learning hosts three family events annually to create and strengthen the school’s family environment. Each year the events get bigger and better with help from our dedicated staff that believes in the “family first” idea.
The Lew Williams Center enrolls children ages one to five, accepting private pay, Early Head Start, Head Start and school readiness vouchers through the Early Learning Coalition.
For more information, please call (727) 914-4935.
