End of school year 'bittersweet'

By Britney Barnes

June 22, 2009 12 AM PT

Luke Nataupsky learned a lot this year, but it was his mastery of the spelling of “February” that really sticks out.

As summer vacation was about to begin Friday, 7-year-old Luke and Ty Ueda, 9, were excited to get more play time, but they still seemed in a mood to learn more about science.

“I like how, like, you investigate stuff like knowing what animals are and what they look like,” Ty said.

Avalon Miracle, 7, agreed. She said she loved reading “Island of the Blue Dolphin” and going on a field trip to the Newport Beach Back Bay.

“It was fun and there was a lot to see and tons of animals,” Avalon said.

When Emily Schnitzer dismissed her students on the last day of school Friday, her Newport Heights Elementary third-graders met her with a mix of cheers and groans.

With no more multiplication, reading or spelling to do, the class celebrated the last day of the third grade with a party.

The students signed yearbooks, had stories read to them, ate pizza and Rice Krispies treats and took one final trip to the treasure chest to pick out a small toy or book.

“It’s just about fun and looking back and remembering all the things we did this year,” Schnitzer said.

Schnitzer gave the students a goody bag with a colorful lei, neon sunglasses, a maraca, a scrapbook for them to remember the year by and her e-mail address to stay in touch.

The day, Schnitzer said, was bittersweet. She said she is sad to see them go, but happy to see what wonderful people they grow up into.

Over in Christi Bunge’s first-grade class, the students also spent the last day reminiscing.

As the students sat, eyes closed, in a circle, Bunge asked them to think of all the happy memories they have had over the year — the first day of school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, open house, the Science Fair, visiting the tide pools and working in their garden — and how they have grown.

One by one the students went around rummaging through a colorful basket of papers with different life skills printed on them, seeking one area in which they grew the most.

“They can relate it to their home environment and what they do in the classroom,” Bunge said.

Skylar Sepulveda, 5, picked out “responsibility” because she had not lost her “good job” tickets in the library. While she has become more responsible, she said she is excited to not have to do any work over the summer.

“[I like] that we can be free,” Skylar said. “We can do whatever we want.”

Kids Talk Back

What are you most excited for this summer?

“I have my birthday, and I think we could go jet skiing.”

Avalon Miracle, 7

“I get to go swimming with my cousins.”

Sara Robinson, 8

“My birthday. I might go to Dave & Buster’s and then have a slumber party.”

Zander Adelson, 8

“Sailing. I like the water.”

Shay Virtue, 8

“No school, no school, no school.”