
REED CITY — Festivities were held last week for one group of students who completed elementary as another celebrated their start.
The year 2031 sounds far off, but that’s what year it will be when these young coyotes complete the education they’ll begin later this year.
At a ceremony at the GT Norman Elementary cafeteria June 6, parents and relatives celebrated 11 students from the Reed City schools preschool program who will enter kindergarten this fall.
The students gathered at the preschool building where they were led by preschool teacher Shannon Vandawater to the elementary building where they’ll begin their educational careers.
Parents awaited the arrival of the newly-commenced preschools who recognized the occasion by singing a few songs and shared what they wanted to be when they grow up before they reunited with their families for cookies and other refreshments.
And as one group of students began elementary school, another was leaving.
On June 7, fifth-graders walked through the halls of GT Norman for the last time before moving on to middle school.
Clap Out is an annual tradition at Reed City school where parents, friends and the school’s younger classes line the hallways of the school and applaud students who will be leaving the school next year.

Another clap out was held weeks earlier to signal the departure of high school seniors who also proceeded through the halls of the elementary.
After the procession, the fifth-graders gathered inside the GT Norman gymnasium where they were given certificates commemorating their completion of elementary school and their transition to middle school.