Summerlin's schools were filled with the spirit of Thanksgiving thanks to a full line-up of activities and events coordinated by administrators and teachers at the community's 22 public and private schools.
More than 200 students and their families enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving feast prepared by Chef Gustav Mauler at Temple Beth Sholom's preschool, the Sandra and Stanley Mallin Early Childhood Center.
While Mauler was busy in the kitchen preparing the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and vegetables that were served at this seventh annual dinner, the students, ages 2 to 5, were preparing the decorations, which included handcrafted turkeys, pilgrims and American Indians that served as the table centerpieces.
Students at the Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy also enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving feast and singing songs as well as reading and writing stories about American Indians, the Pilgrims and the Mayflower. The school's second-grade class also performed a patriotic play that honored the country and its political leaders.
Third-grade students at Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain also participated in a play that retold the story of Christopher Columbus and the discovery of America.
Lummis Elementary School students participated in a series of American Indian games, activities and arts and crafts.
Second-grade students had an American Indian Festival that included learning sign language, dancing, singing songs, stories and the sounds of drums.
The third-grade class participated in a nine-day Pilgrim simulation where they became responsible for establishing quasi-colonies as student teams. Principal Rodney Saunders said the activities were designed to help students gain a richer understanding of America's history and why we honor Pilgrims.
Bonner Elementary School students also were busy with Thanksgiving-related activities from arts and crafts to stories and activities that taught students about the Pilgrims and the importance of giving thanks. Several classes also participated in what teachers refer to as a "children's fantasy feast," which is a feast comprised of only desserts.
"Thousands of young Summerlin residents are enriched daily by high-caliber educational and cultural opportunities in our community," said Tom Warden, vice president of community and government relations for The Howard Hughes Corp., developer of Summerlin. "Summerlin is not just a great place to live; it's a great place to learn."
The master-planned community is home to 22 public and private schools that educate thousands of youths.
For more information on Summerlin, visit summerlin.com or call 888-898-5015.
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