Happy Mother’s Day

Youth plant flowers for their moms

The Presque Isle Regional Career and Technology Center’s (PIRCTC) early childhood playgroup has been busy this month preparing for Mother’s Day. On Tuesday, April 29, the students took a mini-field trip upstairs to the greenhouse where Farm Manager John Hoffses demonstrated how to plant a flower.

The Early Childhood Education student teachers assisted the young children in planting a flower for their mothers, followed by a short lesson on parts of a plant and playing a memory game to reinforce their lesson.
The playgroup then had a tea party on May 1. All students, young and old, dressed up in their finest outfits for a tea party. Lace tablecloths and fine china were used without incident and finger foods were enjoyed by all. During the party, students went on a second mini-field trip to the PIRCTC photography studio where photography student Shannon Sweeney took beautiful pictures for the children to give their parents as an end-of-year surprise.
Additional collaborative activities involving the PIRCTC Playgroup include having a reading loft, designed by a drafting student, built by the building trades class. Future mini-field trips include tours of the building trades area and the PIRCTC fish lab.
Additionally, second-year students in Early Childhood Education recently completed their seven-week volunteer project at Pine Street Elementary School, where they volunteered as classroom aides in the pre-school classrooms.
The playgroup provides a lab opportunity for the PIRCTC Early Childhood Education students. Children between the ages of 2-1/2 and 4 may join. The playgroup meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. from October through May. There are a limited number of slots available for the 2014-15 school year. The cost is $100 for the year. If interested in enrolling your child, or for more information, please contact Trudy Gorneault, instructor/coordinator at PIRCTC by calling 768-5275.