Even though the Class of 2026 is leaving to make new memories outside of the Greenwood community, there are many elementary school memories they are holding close to their hearts.

“My favorite part of elementary school was how close we all were to each other. All of the kids and teachers were really nice. We all would go to recess together and play together in a big game of tag, and I really loved how close we all were,” senior Reeda Hasan, Southwest alumni, said. 

With elementary school class sizes being less than 80 kids, getting to know classmates was a lot easier than in high school. Elementary school was sometimes the start to lifelong friendships between classmates.

“I am still close to some people that I went to school with at Northeast. My friend Devin from elementary school and I have been friends since second grade. We stayed friends all through middle school and will continue to be friends after high school as well,” senior Jason Hurley, Northeast alumni, said. 

Not only did classmates have an impact, teachers also left lasting impressions.

“I had a teacher in first grade named Mrs. Scudder who was super welcoming and open to me. I was unfamiliar with the school and nervous, but I really remember her being welcoming to me, and I really appreciated it,” Hurley said. 

Entering kindergarten, students were surrounded by new places that were unlike to everything they had known. Having welcoming teachers was something the Class of 2026 was grateful for. 

“My favorite teacher was Mr. Harper. I had just gotten to the school, and he made me feel like I was not new and at home and in a good and safe environment. This made coming in a lot easier,” Hasan said. 

Some of the memories that seniors have involved traditions specific to their schools. 

“In elementary school, we had three teams where the whole class was split up into, and on Fridays, we would have competitions and dance parties to get a prize for the week. We would have ice cream parties and extra recess and other fun activities if we won,” senior Tabitha Hite, Westwood alumni, said. 

One of the main praises of elementary school was the hands-on learning that students got to experience. With fewer kids, there were more opportunities for fun activities to learn about different school subjects. 

“I had a lot of great teachers, and elementary school was especially fun because my mom worked there so I got to see her a lot. In my first and second grade classes, we got to do a lot of fun things in their classes. I remember in second grade, we had caterpillars, and, then, we got to watch them turn into butterflies,” senior Lily Allen, Isom alumni, said. 

Being at the top of the school in fifth grade also brought many fun opportunities before entering middle school.  

“In fifth grade, we had a man named Mr. Marmaduke who came in, and we would do different science experiments with him. Sometimes, we would dissect animals or insects. One time we made a jump rope, and another time we played with dry ice. It was a super fun experience for being a fifth grader,” Hite said. 

Seniors recalled elementary school as far different than middle school and high school for a multitude of reasons. One involved independence, which the Class of 2026 will now have to face when they leave the Greenwood Community Schools community.

“Elementary school is a lot different than high school and middle school because I feel like you are on your own a lot more. I think there is a lot less dependency on your teachers when you leave elementary school,” Allen said. 

As the seniors walk across the front of the gym to receive their diplomas, some will be greeted by their elementary teachers who have had lasting impacts on their careers. As they say goodbye to high school, they will also say goodbye to the teachers who helped start their educational journeys.

“I chose my first grade teacher Ms. Holcroft to give me my diploma. I remember telling myself that she would hand it to me when I was in elementary school. She made me feel super seen in her classroom. She helped me adjust to school really well, and I had a connection with her that I felt was stronger than any other teacher that I had,” senior Ellie Hockersmith, Isom Alumni, said.