As its eighth year approaches, Pre-K 4 SA called together its alumni, families, staff and stakeholders to reflect on the organization’s accomplishments and celebrate the progress it continues making in San Antonio.
Each year, Pre-K 4 SA hosts many events such as a Grants Showcase, an annual Gracias San Antonio: Children Are Citizens Art Exhibit to raise money for a local non-profit, as well as free professional learning workshops. The largest event planned to date was Pre-K 4 SA’s first Family Reunion. It was a special time to celebrate the power of pre-k and to see how alumni families are succeeding after Pre-K 4 SA.
After many hours of planning, the San Antonio Food Bank Pavilion was selected, and the date was set for Saturday, October 19, 2019. More than 800 Pre-K 4 SA families and children attended the event. Together they enjoyed healthy food, fun activities, and most importantly made unforgettable memories.
Dr. Sarah Baray, CEO of Pre-K 4 SA, began the presentation of speeches by inviting Ivyahna Slack, a first grader, and Elisa Maria Jaime, a fifth grader to the stage. These two Pre-K 4 SA alumni expressed how much Pre-K 4 SA has helped them build a strong foundation in their education. Elisa Maria Jaime delivered her first speaking points in English and finished her speech in Spanish.
Former City Manager Sheryl Sculley spoke about the program and how impactful Pre-K 4 SA continues to be for San Antonio. San Antonio’s First Lady Erika Prosper also shared her experience of how her son attended Pre-K 4 SA and how this program is preparing future generations for a bright future for our city.
The large orchard behind the Food Bank’s pavilion held numerous children’s activities, including moon bounces, hayrides, face art, dancing, bowling, pumpkin painting and more. Children were all given a Pre-K Power Passport and after completing an activity, they received a stamp of completion. Once the passport was filled, they received a prize.
All alumni were called to gather and stand in front of the stage to capture a group photo. Gathering the children was no easy task, but with the help of parents and personnel, Pre-K 4 SA’s photographer had the opportunity to capture unforgettable moments of Pre-K 4 SA’s alumni together in one place.
Many of the Pre-K 4 SA personnel volunteered their time and local high school students also helped monitor the activity stations for the children to have a great time. In a post-event survey, all families expressed how much fun the event was for the entire family. Pre-K 4 SA was also happy to see the positive responses and suggestions for a future event next year.
“My daughter completed Pre-K 4 SA three years ago but she still talks about her teachers, friends and memories from Pre-K 4 SA,” said Raquel Aguirre, Pre-K 4 SA parent. “This was such a great idea and time for the both of us. Thank you for all you’ve done for my family! We look forward to next year!”
Pre-K 4 SA opened its doors in 2013 and eight years later, its personnel were excited to see how children and their families were ecstatic to participate and come together to celebrate the power of pre-k.
