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Pack up your sunscreen, swimsuit, and camera and get ready to go on a dream vacation to Hawaii.

All of last week the Myers Elementary kindergartners did that as they went on a virtual trip to Hawaii.

The kindergartners packed their suitcases and flew out to Hawaii on Monday May 11.  They had a paper suitcase with their names on them packed with sunglasses, sunscreen, swimsuits, and their cameras.

“I liked the plane,” said kindergartner Saige McMurtrie.

“It was fun making the suitcases,” said Gabriel Gummo.

All throughout the week the kindergartners participated in different activities to learn about Hawaii.  They colored pictures, learned about the island, packed suitcases, flew to Hawaii, made lei necklaces, explored volcanoes, made their own baking soda explosion volcanoes, and saw a Hawaii slide show from retired kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Geist’s own trip to island paradise.

“All throughout the week it is five days of excursion. The students work on their writing skills when they write their postcards, patterning when they make their leis and skirts, and they learn about another culture,” said kindergarten teacher Mr. Pete Harry.

On Friday May 15, all the kindergarten classes got together to have a luau.  They made fruit salad and postcards to send home to their family, had Hawaii centers for different activities, played full class games such as Hawaii bingo, making grass skirts, shopping at a Hawaii souvenir shop.

“The grass skirts and the fruit salad were the best,” said Keagen Shanafelt. “We have all these crafts and fun stuff to do.”

Keagen also added, “I made leis, a suitcase, and a volcano.”

Saige also added, “Our luau was the best.”

Each day the kindergarten classes would read stories about the ocean.

The Bellwood-Antis kindergarten teachers have been doing this virtual Hawaii trip for a long time and it has become a tradition.

“They have been doing it for years,” said Mr. Harry. “We have no idea how it began originally, but the students benefit from it.”

The kindergarten students had a lot of fun on their trip.

“I liked making the leis,” said Jocelyn Diehl.

“I liked playing in the sand the most,” said Hunter Shura. “I made a lei, cut fruit, made a grass skirt, went to a souvenir shop, and made a suitcase.”