By Shaun Scott, Puyallup Tribal News
The smiling faces said it all at the Grandview Early Learning Center’s end of summer celebration on Aug. 27.
A sizable crowd of nearly 100 individuals enjoyed a party featuring a visit from reptile man, providing children an opportunity to see a wide array of different reptiles including snakes, an alligator, turtle and lizards up close. Some kids even took the opportunity to hold these creatures in their hands, which resulted in many parents recording videos and photos from their cell phones to capture the moment.
The event also included a buffet style dinner, airbrush tattoos, a dunk tank, a cotton candy station and a classroom setting where headbands were created. Back-to-school backpacks were also available to every child in attendance.
Grandview Early Learning Center Co-Director Traci Gonzalez said events like this mean everything to her.
“We value time with these families, and to bring them together on the last week of summer break is very important to us. A lot of them are going off to kindergarten for the first time and we’ve worked with a lot of them since birth,” Gonzalez said. “This is just an amazing opportunity to come together and send off these children to the new school year.”
Grandview Early Learning Center Language Teacher Lenissa Grover said the end-of-summer celebration had one of the biggest turnouts GELC has had all year.
“It’s been so wonderful to watch them (children) be so happy,” Grover said.
