The bright, vibrant colored room buzzed with kids’ laughter, creating a warm and friendly environment. Education Academy students organized the child-sized tables with various activities, all while the children snacked on food.

On Wednesday, November 15, Millard West’s Academy hosted Preschool Day, a tradition for the Child Development class.

Juniors Tess Ray and Caitlyn Kaup are two students in the Education Academy who foresee themselves as potential teachers after college.

“Preschool day is one of the several events we do working with kids,” Kaup said. “We bring in kids ages 3 to 5, and learn more about teaching that certain age group to meet their needs as their brain continues to grow.”

The day began at 8:15 a.m. and lasted until 10:45 a.m. In the beginning, arts and crafts were laid out on the tables. The children could also heat up hot chocolate with marshmallows, or draw on the white board. Through this session they learned how to follow directions in order to assemble a project.

Afterwards, they went on a nature walk to the Wetlands where they were informed about the land type.

Then they came back to the auditorium for bigger activities that involved working together and moving around. Finally, to finish up the day they went back to the classroom for some quiet time and reading.

“The activities we planned kept the kids focus by always keeping them moving and then having quiet time at the end to calm them down,” Kaup said.

Throughout the day they also had to share and get along with each other. The children also learned more about life around them and how to respect it .

“It was really exciting to have a whole bunch of kids in one room,” Ray said. “And wanting to become future teachers it is even more fun to have our lesson plans worked out.”

This is just one of numerous days Academy hosts. Prior to Preschool Day, they also had a Pregnant Mom Day, Newborn Day and Toddler Day. Each occurrence helps the aspiring teachers learn more about the development of kids who one day will be students in their classrooms.

“I love these projects we do,” Ray said. “It helps us greatly as aspiring teachers because we receive experiences working with all different kinds of kids and problem solving.”

Weeks before each occasion, as a class, they talk about the next age group coming in and why that stage of a child’s life is crucial for their development in learning.

These events are important for the Education Academy as they help shape our future teachers who could be shaping our future kids.