Summer programming wrapped up at Rankin Elementary with a week of “Fun in the Sun” and a virtual trip to South and Central America. Tuesday, we took advantage of a break in the bad weather to hold a day full of water games. The staff came in early to fill nearly 1000 water balloons for the students to toss, launch, and catch at several stations across the playground. The Learning Guides surprised the students by breaking out some hidden squirt guns and chasing them all over the grounds. Of course, they all pitched in to help clean up the mess afterword.

We invited parents and families to join us on Thursday for a party in their honor. Our “Fiesta de los Padres” had families enjoying crafts, games, and food from several different countries the students researched earlier in the week. They sampled Johnny Cakes from St. Thomas and a very pungent guacamole from Brazil while making Guatemalan Worry Dolls and breaking piñatas from Mexico that the kindergartners built. The 4th and 5th graders each created island drinks from Cuba and the Bahamas which were loaded with fresh fruit and juice. Students were enjoying themselves so much many didn’t even realize it was the last day of program until they were getting on the buses to go home.