DECATUR -- Students at Decatur Northside Elementary had reason to celebrate May 15 as they gathered in the school's cafeteria to mark the successful end of the Operation Dream Big program.
The Decatur School District, under the direction of Jackie Smith, began Operation Dream Big as an initiative for kindergarten through 12th-grade students to nurture their minds and prepare for the future as they approach adulthood.
Operation Dream Big organizers identified four goals they focused on throughout the school year. These goals included: bolstering career and vocational knowledge of students, granting students the opportunity to experience the diverse business worlds through field trips, fostering collegiate conversations and tours and bridging the transition for secondary students into the workforce.
Smith began the celebration with a slideshow that chronicled all the places that Northside students visited throughout the year.
The field trips began earlier in the school year when kindergartners visited the Bentonville Fire Station and Bentonville Police Station to meet a few real-life firefighters and police officers.
The first-grade classes were treated to a visit to the Gentry Vet Clinic where they were able to watch veterinarians caring for a variety of sick animals. They also visited KLRC Radio Station in Siloam Springs where a few of them got to go on the air for live interviews.
The second-grade class took two trips to Bentonville -- one to tour the Sam's Club Home Office and the other to the Sam's Club Store.
Third-graders traveled south, visiting the Fayetteville Fire Station, Arvest Bank and Modus Architect Studio.
And finally, the fourth-grade class toured the Ozark Therapy Center. Students had the opportunity to sit in a corporate jet when they visited the Simmons Aviation Center.
After the slide presentation came the big surprise. Jessi Owens, high school band director, marched into the room keeping the beat on a bass drum. Behind Owens were several members of his marching band, all playing percussion instruments. As the band played on, a big bang sounded from an air cannon located at the back of the cafeteria, and suddenly the room was filled with lots and lots of blue and gold confetti.
While the confetti spread across the room, the Decatur High cheerleaders, led by Desi Meek and Tabby Tilley, burst into the room circling and leading the assembly in a round of applause -- a perfect way to end Operation Dream Big, with a big dream parade.
General News on 05/30/2018