By Cara Crawford

After spending an hour and forty-five minutes with Collegiate’s current Kindergarteners, members of the class of 2039, I have discovered what today’s Kindergarteners are truly about. 

As I clumsily stumbled into what I had hoped was the right classroom, I was greeted in Luck Hall 101 by the faces of miniature high schoolers—big-eyed and curious.

I missed out on Collegiate’s Lower and Middle Schools since I came here my Freshman year. While I know that every Kindergarten experience is special, I did not think any would quite compare to mine at Saint Bridget Catholic School. However, current Collegiate Kindergarten teacher Stephanie Smith quickly proved me wrong.

Smith, in her 11th year at Collegiate and her 6th year teaching Kindergarten, brings both experience and enthusiasm into the classroom. She shared that her favorite part about teaching Kindergarten is “watching the students grow—both academically and personally—as they gain confidence, independence, and love of learning.” She described a “special magic” in seeing children experience things for the first time, whether it’s reading a word, making a friend, or solving a problem on their own.

Smith’s welcoming demeanor immediately put me at ease. Her classroom, while large, is covered in colorful decorations with motivational messages, such as “Yes You Can.” Smith effortlessly navigates the restless fidgeting of her “Kinder Cougars” with catchy phrases such as “listening bodies.”

Not only are today’s Kindergarteners taught to control their constant restlessness, but they are also taught keen perception when observing their surroundings. Class member Izzy demonstrated this skill by walking right up to me, saying, “Your dress is pretty.” 

Smith’s Kindergarten class after Collegiate’s Pep Rally last fall. Photo credit: Stephanie Smith.

As I walked around and continued to ask in-depth questions, I gathered a few key pieces of information, such as the fact that Hank likes ninja songs.  

One thing I noticed is that the students weren’t sure how to answer my question: “When you picture yourself in high school, what do you picture?” Typically, this question was met with “I don’t know.” The only person who was able to answer was Shaan, who said he will “have longer legs.” 

Upon being asked what the hardest part of Kindergarten is, Lilly sharply identified that, “The hardest part of Kindergarten is doing something you really don’t want to do, but you still have to do it.” Her answer was met with unanimous agreement among her class. 

As the day progressed, we made our way down to Centennial Hall for lunch. At lunch, all Kindergarten classes eat together in randomized seating. My sense of standing out due to being a “big kid” was only amplified during lunch. Students believed I was between the ages of 13 and 43. One little girl came up to me and asked “Are you a mom?” However, Nellie quickly came to my aid, stating  “Guys! Her name is Cara Crawford, she is 17, and she has a cat named Nico!”

As we went to recess, the students split off. Some boys went to play soccer, some girls went to the monkey bars, and a mix of boys and girls played K-Pop Demon Hunters, which appeared to me like a very aggressive game of tag.

After I suggested a game of boys-versus-girls tag, the soccer field erupted into chants of “Boys versus girls!” As I quickly realized that may not have been the best idea, a soccer game had already commenced.

The game had no bounds, going fully across the field in all directions. Eventually, the ball went off the field, and a teacher had to intervene to talk to the students. As I was leaving to make my way back to the Upper School, a little girl with a blonde ponytail and a purple shirt said, “You probably shouldn’t leave yet, because this is kind of your fault,” demonstrating that same keen perceptiveness I had seen all day.

As I spent my time with these Kindergartners, I asked them about the past and the future, about Junior Kindergarten, 1st Grade, and even high school. These questions were sometimes difficult to answer, because these Kindergartners are firmly rooted in the present—a defining trait of being a kid.

When I asked about what they wanted to say to the entire student body, the answer was simple: “Go Cougars!”