Merna Emara
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Fifteen preschoolers graduated from the Aboriginal Head Start Program on Friday. The graduation comes amidst a pandemic that deprived all graduates from walking across the stage as family, friends, teachers and professors clap in pride and happiness. However, this did not prevent teachers at the Aboriginal Head Start Program from getting creative and making do with the current physical distancing restrictions.
Teachers decorated a yellow school bus with children’s pictures and drove to each house where young graduates were eagerly waiting. With honks to alert parents of their arrival, the bus stopped and parents and siblings came out to see their young ones receive graduation gifts and freezies.
The graduation was originally planned to happen on Thursday, but due to weather conditions, it was postponed until Friday for a more enjoyable celebration. Among the graduates were Dekker Kabatay, Kalesi Armstrong, Saren Gervais and Addy Jones.
According to their website, Aboriginal Head Start Program is a licensed child care program which focuses on the Anishinaabe culture and language, and school readiness skills. The program is offered to urban Indigenous children ages 2.5 to 5 years living within the Fort Frances community, and runs throughout the course of the school year from September to June.
