BY ARIELLE KRAUS
“Trick-or-treat” could be heard all over Cooper City High School on the morning of October 30, as the Littlest Cowboys held their annual “Storybook Parade.” The “Storybook Parade” is a time when the Littlest Cowboys preschoolers come dressed in costumes and go trick-or-treating at CCHS.
“Our Storybook Parade is a family event that we take part in to celebrate literacy and incorporate it with Halloween,” Early Learning Lab Director Deborah Covard said. “After the parade, the Littlest Cowboys participate in a variety of literacy and math-related activities in centers that are also related to Halloween.”
The Littlest Cowboys and their parents gathered in the preschool and then headed onto their trick-or-treating adventure. The first stop was the cafeteria, followed by guidance, then the front office and lastly, a trip to the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) hallway.
“I went to trick-or-treat,” four-year-old Littlest Cowboys student Gina Nixon said. “I was Rapunzel because that’s my favorite movie. Even my favorite part was taking pictures with [my sister] Jordan, Daddy and Mommy.”
“Our Storybook Parade is a family event that we take part in to celebrate literacy and incorporate it with Halloween.”
As the preschoolers walked around campus, they were given treats and goodies at each stop. CCHS staff members, including administrators, cafeteria staff, guidance counselors and the ESE department, brought in items such as candy, play dough and goodie bags to share with the Littlest Cowboys.
“[My favorite part] was the candy part,” 5-year-old Littlest Cowboys student Savannah Scott said. “I was Mel from ‘Descendants’ because I like it.”
The event takes place the day before Halloween to ensure that the Littlest Cowboys families are able to attend. Many of the parents are educators at local schools and have events at their own schools on the day of Halloween, so making it the day before accommodates the needs of these parents.
“I work at Cooper City Elementary,” Littlest Cowboys parent Natalie Perez said. “[Hosting the event the day before Halloween] actually helped tons because we do our Storybook Character Parade [Halloween] morning, so it’s perfect. It is [my son] Christopher’s first time having an event like this and we are really happy that we are allowed to come and see him and experience it with him.”
“Family involvement activities such as [the Storybook Parade] allow families to be a part of a child’s learning experience.”
CCHS students involved in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) program were also able to attend this event and follow the Littlest Cowboys as they ventured through the cafeteria and office.
“[The Storybook Parade] was just a fun time to see the kids all dressed up and they got to get candy around the school and talk to all of our administrators,” junior Victoria Chacon said. “It was a lot of fun for everyone, including the [high school] students.”
The final stop in the parade was a trip to the ESE hallway, where the Littlest Cowboys took pictures with Halloween decorations, created by ESE teacher Nicole Garcia. After this, they headed back to their classroom and said their goodbyes to their parents. Involving parents throughout the school year is an integral part of the Littlest Cowboys Preschool and this event was a time for parents to create memories with their child at school.
“Family involvement activities such as [the Storybook Parade] allow families to be a part of a child’s learning experience,” Covard said. “Family involvement is linked with positive outcomes for children, including better outcomes in child development, attitudes and behavior and we are dedicated to providing many opportunities throughout the year where we involve families.”
Photo by Makinzi Burgs
