First day of school

First day of school is on the horizon for many students

Joan Cronk/for The Herald

At Maple Lawn Elementary School in Sumner, Principal Mike McCartin knows a lot about the first day of school, especially for kindergartners

“The first day of school is key,” said McCartin. “This is the first real cultural transition that happens for kids and I have a separate compartment in my mind for kindergartners.”

McCartin said it takes a few weeks before the kindergarten students figure out that it is his voice that is coming out of the intercom in their classroom.

Wyatt Osley, who will be starting school for the very first time at Maple Lawn, is excited to meet his teacher, Mrs. Karin Mickelson, on the first day of school. His mom, Erinn, said they still have some school shopping to do before Wyatt starts school. Wyatt said he is looking forward to the first day of school and riding the school bus for the very first time.

Madilyn Nash will be starting kindergarten at Mt. View Elementary School in Edgewood and her mom, Stacey, said they just finished their school shopping. Madilyn will be attending morning kindergarten and riding the bus and is ready for that first day of school.

“She is really excited,” Stacey Nash said. “I think I’m going to come home and cry the first day.”

Devony Blowers knows a little bit about the first day of school. On Sept. 2, she will be starting Puyallup High School as a high school student for the very first time.

Devony said there will be a lot more kids than there were at Aylen Junior High, but she feels ready for it. She swims for high school swim team, and taught swim lessons there during the summer so she is already familiar with the school. Devony also swam for high school as a ninth grader.

She acknowledges that high school is a huge leap from junior high, but Devony has always been focused on the future.

“I want to be a second or third grade teacher,” said Devony, who attended Fruitland and Maplewood elementary schools before moving on to Aylen. She knew early on that high grades were her ticket to a good future.

At Aylen, she was involved in leadership and advanced placement classes and has signed up for some heavy duty classes at PHS. Although she loves to text and has a myspace page, Devony is a kid who goes by the rules and keeps her nose to the grindstone, getting good grades and staying out of trouble. School, swim team and AP classes make for a busy life, but Devony says she is up for the challenge.

Heather Perry, who just graduated in June from Rogers High School, is headed for Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill., which is a long way from Puyallup. Organized and a real planner, Perry has already traveled to the school and seen her room. On her first trip to Illinois, she knew right away that Olivet was the school for her.

“I don’t think I could stay close to home,” Perry said. “I want to get out there and get out on my own because that is what my parents taught me to do.”

Both her parents, Kathy and Scott, were graduates of Olivet University.

Perry didn’t even apply to any other schools, having decided that the family atmosphere at Olivet would suit her just fine.

Kathy Perry said that at the orientation one of the vice presidents of Olivet told the parents, “Pull out your cell phones. I’m going to give you my home and office phone numbers,” stressing that if they needed anything, they should feel free to call him.

“There is a very personal interaction,” Kathy Perry said, who feels confident her daughter will do well in college.

“I have been focused for awhile,” Perry said, who hopes to graduate with a double major in journalism and photography. Her long term goal is to work as a photojournalist for World Vision.

But right now, she is focused on how she and her new roommate will arrange their dorm room to get maximum use out of their space. Perry, who has already packed and mailed 20 pairs of shoes to herself at Olivet, is confident and excited for her move.

College is expensive, but Perry has received a $20,000 academic scholarship for four years.

Olivet works hard to make sure all freshman are safe and involved in campus life.

“They know if you don’t connect in the beginning as a new student, it will be difficult,” Kathy Perry said, “so they have lots of opportunities to mix.”

Perry is no slouch. She will be taking 16 hours of classes as a freshman, leaving little time for much else.

“College is different than high school in that you are taking care of yourself,” she said. “I think I’ll enjoy being in charge of my life, but there will be parts that I will miss.”

One of the things that Perry will miss is time with her boyfriend, who will be attending University of Washington in Seattle.

“We have it all figured out,” Perry said, “how we will be communicating on e mail and the phone.”

Her parents are thrilled that their daughter has made such good choices, and they are looking forward to her experience at Olivet with mixed feelings. Perry is an only child and the nest will definitely be empty, but that leaves time for things that they have put aside for years.