GREENVILLE – Greenville Middle School K-4 held its annual Fall Fun Safety Fest. Kindergarten through fourth graders enjoyed games while learning safety features from the Greenville Police and Fire Departments and Greenville Township Emergency Services.
“Today is a fun day with an emphasis on safety and being able to work together as a group,” said Greenville K-4 assistant principal Amber Acevedo. “We have a lot of different activities and assemblies with the fire department this week, so we are getting them acclimated to our community helpers.”
“Every year we do a Fall Fest as a reward at the end of October,” said Cindy Rose, one of two Greenville K-4 gym teachers who put the event together. “This year, we added the First Responders and one of our local dentists because this month’s PBIS phrase is, be safe.”
The day-long outdoor event started with temperatures in the mid-40s, but the cold did not hinder the students’ excitement.
“Luckily, this year and through the years, we have some coats, gloves, and sock hats donated, so we are pulling them out of the closet and helping kids out; we try to keep them moving,” Rose noted. “The sun is out, so it’s a good day, a fun day to celebrate.”
Parents of students were permitted to attend the day’s activities after checking in with the administration.
“The teachers are all out here all day with us,” added Rose. “The teachers are with their classes all day except for the midday break. All the special teachers are out here, so it’s a group effort.”
Greenville class of 2017 graduate and former Green Wave quarterback and basketball player Kyle Phillips of the Greenville Township Emergency Services spent his day talking with the young students about safety.”
“This is another part of our job we enjoy; it is the preventative part of our jobs,” Phillips said. “It is good to get out and talk to the kids about safety, bike safety, pool safety, and different scenarios they might see during their young life. They are getting to the age where they are riding bikes. We are ensuring they do preventative things at home, like wearing helmets, not touching burners, and just doing things to keep them safe. It is fun for us to come out here and do that.”
“We always emphasize 911,” continued Phillips. “For any emergency, we always ensure they know the number to dial and get a parent or adult. That is one thing we try to emphasize today: if they ever have an emergency, always call 911.”
