For students of Brenna Penry, Friday Dec. 11 marked a day filled with laughter, creation and a good deal of sugar. Penry’s Wellington Elementary kindergarten students were given the chance to create candy trains along with family members during school. The trains, made up of chocolate bars, peppermints and many other colorful goodies have been a part of Penry’s classrooms for the past 25 years.
“What we do in my class is we go to different countries and celebrate their December holiday,” Penry said. She takes her students on a global trip to Israel to learn about Hanukah, to Africa to experience Kwanza and to other countries across the map. However, when it came to the United States, Penry didn’t know what to think.
“I thought, what is big in the United States?” she said. “Well, cookies and candy,” was the answer Penry gave herself. Thus, finding inspiration from a similar activity based off of cookies, Penry started the candy-filled tradition in her class more than twenty years ago and has been doing it ever since.
“In kindergarten, this was a perfect activity,” she explained in regards to the many creative creations built this year. Though for this teacher, the highlight is seeing parent and student come together in the creative process.
“I am delighted at the interaction between the child and the parent,” Penry expressed. “That’s what Christmas is all about; is family time.”
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- Photo courtesy of Wellington Elementary
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- Photo courtesy of Wellington Elementary
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- Photo courtesy of Wellington Elementary
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- Photo courtesy of Wellington Elementary
