SummerFest Fun 2009 – Stay Strong!

After a late night of preparation on Friday, SummerFest started yesterday with 74 second graders from Ruby Bridges Elementary School in Alameda and Garfield and Franklin Elementary Schools in Oakland.  With over 160 volunteers ranging from drivers, general helpers, videographers, photographers to classroom teachers, team leads, we were ready to receive these precious kids.  There were lots of smiles and high fives all around as kids were brought to our North Loop building by our very own friendliest transportation team of volunteers.  We started the day with some breakfast getting to know one another by teams and then they heard about what is in store for them in the next three sessions of SummerFest along with the rules at ImpACT.

After that off they went to classes where they got to touch a cow eye ball in Biology, make their own ice cream in Chemistry, build their own soon-to-be-completed new Bay Bridge (a miniature version of course), etc.  After class time it was time to make some melodies and play games.  They watched a funny intro video to our Large Group lesson time given by Mr. Joshua who taught us that life is a like a jungle and we all need a compass to help us point to the right way and we need to BE STRONG, being firmed to do the right thing.  Our theme this year is “Adventure” as we want to teach them three key things as getting through life can be a daunting adventure; that is to STAY STRONG, STAY FOCUSED and STAY TOGETHER.

By the time lunch time came around and we went over the lesson by teams and were ready to say good bye, all the kids were warming up to us and many of them were excited to return on Monday.  Many kids were heard saying to one another how this is the best time they ever had, this is better then Chuck E. Cheese’s!

Can’t wait for day 2 on Monday!