The preschoolers sit on the rug looking up at me with glee. I open up airplay so that I can show them pictures of the day’s lesson. Their tiny hands shoot up at the need to answer a question. They express their thoughts and opinions freely the way birds fly relentless. I try to get through every kid. It’s only a matter of time before their attention span is expired.

Students are the teachers of Pirate Pete preschool. They practice their lessons on planning how to manage their time with the kids. It gives the student teachers an idea of what’s it like to teach on your own or with a partner.

“They’re like so fascinated by everything,” Senior Julie Martinez said explaining why she loves preschool. “Like everything they see they want to touch.”

Preschool is a place to help 3 or 4 year olds to develop skills that will be needed for the future. They practice math, science, art etc. Some of the skills they succeed through the year are identifying their shapes and colors and writing their name.

“She was the star of the week,” Applied tech teacher James Schager said about his daughter. Star of the week is when a student gets chosen to share their outside life with the class and has their made poster displayed for a week.

Some PHS staff have children who attended Pirate Pete preschool. They love knowing that their child is close to their work. The staff appreciates and trusts the teachers with their children while they learn and play. The benefits are getting their child prepared for school, developing social interactions, and seeing growing interest in learning.

“I have the best job in the building, I mean c’mon,” Preschool teacher Kris Stary said. “I get to be a part of getting kids excited about school at such a young age and I get to watch all of you (teachers) teach like I get to watch the future teachers of the world!”

Preschool’s main teacher, Stary loves the class for many reasons. Stary believes every child should go to preschool because it’s an important stage in their life to learn.

She also enjoys seeing alumni preschool students become high schoolers.

“From what I remember I enjoyed preschool and the Pirate Pete program,” Sophomore Rhiann Dick who is an alumni preschooler said. “I always was happy to be there.”

As someone who is an aspiring elementary school teacher, Pirate Pete preschool has been the best class I’ve taken. Pirate Preschool has helped me grow relationships with other aspiring teachers and children. I’m very fortunate to have been a part of the program and I’m sure the preschoolers, alumni, teachers, and staff members feel the same.