Merrill fifth graders were welcomed to Prairie River Middle School by the Octagon Club last Thursday. After classes were dismissed at noon on the last day of school, fifth grade students were invited to the middle school an afternoon of activities.
“We want to bring all the elementary kids together from all the schools to meet and get to know the school that they’re coming to next year,” said Katie Schmidt, who coordinated the event at PRMS.
About 15 high school students from the Octagon Club helped lead the activities. Officers from the Merrill Police Department also participated.
Students were divided into teams for the afternoon, much like the middle school uses the team concept. They started the afternoon with ice breaker games, before moving into a series of educational sessions including bullying, DARE activities with a police officer and a school tour. The students were also given some free time to play in the fieldhouse before taking on the challenge of creating a costume out of newspaper on one of their teammates.
The incoming sixth graders will have a more formal introduction to the middle school before school starts, led by eighth grade students in the Where Everyone Belongs (WEB) program.
“This is more for fun and to break the ice,” Schmidt said of Thursday’s event.
The event was supported by the Optimist Club and donations from numerous local business including Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes, Park City Credit Union, Merrill Federal Savings & Loan, River Valley bank, Lincoln Community Bank, Culver’s, Arby’s, McDonald’s, Chip’s, First Street Coffee Station, Subway, Briq’s, The Fresh Boutique, Cosmo Theater, Johnson’s Gifts and Studio 808.
Fifth grade students worked in teams to create costumes from newspaper during activities at PRMS Thursday.