2021-2022 Kindergarten Transition Celebration!
Adelante Mujeres typically holds four kindergarten transition ceremonies per year for our Early Childhood Education Program. However, due to the pandemic, ceremonies were put on hold for the past two years, thus making this year's celebrations "extra special."
A cohort of Adelante Mujeres Early Childhood Education students graduate at a ceremony at Free Orchards Preschool.
At the end of the school year, families and teachers gathered to celebrate the first education milestone in their children’s lives: kindergarten transition celebration. Proud parents collaborated with teachers, becoming highly involved in planning and coordinating this meaningful event. Kindergarten transition is such a special milestone that celebrates the enormous achievements accomplished throughout the academic year. Ceremonies provide a platform for praise, which is pivotal for a young child. Praise for effort in a child's learning journey can begin a lifelong, positive association with the school.
Occasions for celebration where families are invited, pictures are taken, food is prepared, and people are dressed up have long indicated a moment of importance in our Latino culture. The innate feeling of pride as each child walked across the stage to receive their preschool diploma was so amazing and evident on the faces of family members. After witnessing the courage and confidence of students' through the performances, the audience burst into waves of applause. From the tassel on the graduation cap to the children's performances, each kindergarten transition ceremony was an extraordinary moment.
The special recognition and family participation make this a moment of pride and positive self-definition that can be of enormous value in the social-emotional development of Adelante Mujeres’ preschoolers. With this important ceremony, these accomplished preschool graduates are more than ready for their next chapter.
“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X
Lupe Yundt is a guest blogger and the Quality and Compliance Coordinator for the Adelante Mujeres ECE Program. She is a Mexican American born and raised in Southern California and has been living in Oregon for over ten years. After serving in the United States Army, she attended California Baptist University where she earned a B.A. in Human Development with a concentration in Early Childhood Education. She has an extensive background in ECE and has a passion for working with the Latino community.