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SPECIAL DAY

Lessons from Crisco and ice cream

With a Crisco-filled rubber glove in place, a second-grader named Andrew dipped his right hand into a bowl of ice water and let it rest for a few moments. When he took his hand out and went back to his desk to let the next classmate try, he gave a review to his friends.

"That was awesome," he said. "I could stay in there longer."

It was all an activity to teach the students how polar bears stay warm with the extra padding they have from their skin and fur. Believe it or not, this is one of the more subtle activities that St. Mary's School in Oneonta does to entertain its students.

"There's a school aspect that you can have fun," said principal Patricia Bliss. "We try to make it connect."

While taking part in traditional school activities like Catholic Schools Week, a fall festival and holiday celebrations, St. Mary's has unique events, as well. On "Dr. Seuss Day," community residents come to the school dressed as Dr. Seuss characters and the students are served (thanks to food coloring) "green eggs and ham."

St. Mary's also has a "Candyland Day" where they turn the school into a real-life Candyland game board and play games.

On Sept. 22, which happens to be National Ice Cream Cone Day, St. Mary's introduced a new celebration to its students: "Free Ice Cream Cone Day." 

During their respective lunch periods, each student was allowed to get a free ice cream cone after they finished their lunch. Miss Bliss and administrative assistant Bobbie Harlem served as the ice cream scoopers.

"The kids are loving it and it's always great to see them happy and excited," said Mrs. Harlem.

Some of the students thought it was too good to be true.

"We don't have to pay?" asked one little girl incredulously.

"I think it's cool that the school is doing this," said first-grader Rensen Schoden. "I love ice cream! I can't wait to get mine."

Fifth-grader Jimmy Verrelli ferociously attacked his chocolate ice cream cone, exclaiming, "You get free ice cream! I love it!"

Of course, there was an educational aspect to the day, as well.

"We're trying to get the kids to think about things," explained Miss Bliss. "Ice cream cones didn't just appear out of nowhere. We want the kids to ask, 'Where did they come from? Who came up with the idea?'

"It teaches them to ask questions and learn about the history of what interests them. The hook would be, 'There's a reason for everything, and where there's a need, you can come up with a solution.'"

Sister Denise Marie stood, smiling, in the middle of a school cafeteria filled with ice cream-stained faces, small melted puddles of chocolate and vanilla on tables and rainbow sprinkles scattered around the floor.

"These children are so good," said the religion teacher of nine years at St. Mary's. "They're so loveable and respectful."

Before she could finish her next thought, she was interrupted by a first-grade girl saying, "Look at my ice cream, Sister," and holding up a dripping vanilla cone for inspection.

With the first Free Ice Cream Cone Day seemingly a success, Miss Bliss revealed the plans already underway for next year's event.

"We're talking about making some homemade ice cream for next year," she said. "The kids will really love that."

(10/01/09) [[In-content Ad]]

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