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I AM ANDRE GANTT, TEACHER ADVISOR OF LAPALCO HEAD START AND CHAIRPERSON FOR THE 2025 JEFF KAPP HEAD START GRADUATION.
I AM JACQUELINE STEWART, TEACHER ADVISOR AT LECO HEAD START AND CO-CHAIR.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR MISTRESS OF CEREMONY, OUR EDUCATION DISABILITY COORDINATOR, MS. ROSALYN EAST CAN BE.
IT IS MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THE 2025 JEFF KAPP HEAD START GRADUATING CLASS.
PLEASE STAND AND WELCOME THEM AS THEY COME IN.
LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
OUR BABIES LOOK SO AWESOME, DON'T THEY? YES, YES.
SOMEBODY SAID ME THAT MINES DO.
NOW LET'S BEGIN THIS WONDERFUL CELEBRATION.
OUR INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY THE STUDENTS OF WEST METTERY.
HEAD START AND FOLLOWED WILL BE THE WELCOME WILL BE GIVEN BY THE STUDENTS OF JEFF OF JULIN.
KEEP ME ALL THIS DAY WITH MY FRIENDS AND WITH MY FAMILY WHEN AT SCHOOL AND WHEN I DON'T.
MY SCHOOL AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD HELPED ME TO LOVE.
AND COME ON, LET'S GET 'EM A HAND CLAP AS THEY GET PREPARED.
EXERCISING TO KEEP OUR BODIES STRONG.
LEARNING ALL OUR FAVORITE SONGS.
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SCHOOL TO SEE OUR FRIENDS AND PLAY.OH, AFTER GOAL WE LEARN TO OVERCOME.
MOVE TO KINDERGARTEN WILL BE FUN.
EVERY DAY WAS A JOURNEY, BUT WE DIDN'T STOP GROWING AND LEARNING.
LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND OF APPLAUSE FOR AN AWESOME JOB.
IT IS SO AMAZING HOW MUCH OUR CHILDREN CAN LEARN AND REMEMBER.
SO GIVE THEM ANOTHER HAND OF APPLAUSE FOR THAT.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE BY THE STUDENTS OF BEECH GROVE.
HEAD START I TO THE SI TO THE S, TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO TWO, THIS ONE NATION UNDER GOD AND THAT PRINCIPLE WITH TY AND JUSTICE.
AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THE POLICY COUNCIL, ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND PARISH PRESIDENT'S OFFICE STAFF.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, NICOLE THOMPSON, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, DR.
DION NICHOLS, CONDO DIRECTOR JEFFERSON PARISH COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM.
VANESSA ZIMMERMAN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, JEFFERSON PARISH COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM.
ROCHELLE LEY, HEAD START ADMINISTRATOR, JEFFERSON PARISH COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM.
JULIE BARMY, HEAD START, ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR, JEFFERSON PARISH COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM.
MARTHA CHAPLAIN, HEALTH SERVICE MANAGER, ROSALYN EAST CAMBE, EDUCATION DISABILITIES COORDINATOR.
RITA ANEY, SOCIAL SERVICE COORDINATOR, ASSISTANT JASON BROWN, ACCOUNTANT THREE.
GLORIA MCKENZIE, MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE SUPERVISOR.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR PROGRAM.
WE WILL NOW HAVE SOME WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT BY OUR JEFF KA HEAD START BIRTH TO FIRE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR.
CAN WE GIVE OUR CHILDREN OUR GRADUATES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE THIS MORNING.
THEY ARE LOOKING BEAUTIFUL AND HANDSOME.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST SAY STAFF ALL, JEFF CAP, HEAD START.
STAFF, CAN YOU PLEASE STAND UP? CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? THEY MAKE IT HAPPEN EVERY DAY.
THEY SHOW UP FOR YOUR LITTLE ONES, FOR OUR YOUNGEST RESIDENTS OF JEFFSON PARISH.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO BECAUSE MAN,
OKAY, CHILDREN, CAN YOU GIVE YOUR PARENTS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? THANK YOU PARENTS FOR ENTRUSTING US WITH YOUR LITTLE ONES.
IT'S BEEN AROUND NOW FOR 58 YEARS IN JEFFERSON PARISH AND I JUST ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK OUR PARISH PRESIDENT, CYNTHIA LEE SHANG AND OUR PARISH COUNCIL AS WELL FOR THEIR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT FOR OUR PROGRAM.
I JUST WANNA SAY TO OUR GRADUATES THIS MORNING THAT
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THIS IS THE FIRST OF MANY, MANY MILESTONES AND I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND I HOPE THAT YOUR FAMILY CELEBRATE YOU WELL TODAY.AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR GUEST SPEAKER WHO WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME ENCOURAGING WORDS WITH OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TODAY.
AS PETE, THE CAT WOULD SAY IT'S GROOVY.
SO GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.
WHAT A JOYOUS DAY IT IS TO THE PARENTS.
LOVING GRANDPARENTS, SUPPORTIVE TEACHERS, DEDICATED STAFF, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO OUR SHINING STARS.
THE JEFF KAPP HEAD START GRADUATES.
I WANT TO SAY A SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS, SCHOLARS, PARENTS, STAFF, AND DISTINGUISHED GUEST.
I GUESS YOU ARE PROBABLY WONDERING WHY AM I DRESSED LIKE THIS? WELL, I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT YOU CAN'T BE WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE.
I AM JUST A GIRL FROM MARRERO, A PROUD HEAD START, PARENT, FORMER PARENT AND GRANDPARENT.
I STAND BEFORE YOU DRESSED IN MY DOCTORAL REGALIA, LETTING YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING.
AND THE SKY IS TRULY THE LIMIT.
SO TODAY IS MORE THAN JUST A GRADUATION.
PETE, THE CAT WOULD SAY IT'S ALL GOOD 'CAUSE HEADSTART GRADS ARE WHERE IT'S AT.
IT'S A CELEBRATION OF FIRST STEPS OF TINY HANDS HOLDING PENCILS OF SONG SUNG AND CIRCLE TIME OF SHOES TIED OR EVEN TRIED OF ABCS AND ONE TWO THREES OF STORYBOOKS AND SNACK TIME.
AND YES, LOTS OF GIGGLES AND GROWING.
EACH ONE OF YOU, OUR JEFF KA SCHOLARS HAS ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.
YOU'VE SHOWN US WHAT CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY, AND COURAGE LOOKS LIKE.
AND THOUGH YOU MAY BE SMALL IN SIZE AND IN STATURE, THE DREAMS IN YOUR HEARTS ARE TRULY ENORMOUS TO THE PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS.
THANK YOU FOR ENTRUSTING US WITH YOUR BABIES, FOR WAKING UP EARLY, PACKING THEIR BAGS, ATTENDING CONFERENCES AND SCHOOL MEETINGS, VOLUNTEERING IN CLASSROOMS, AND SHOWING UP EVERY SINGLE DAY.
YOU ARE THEIR FIRST TEACHERS AND THEIR FOREVER CHEERLEADERS TO THE HEAD START.
TEACHERS AND STAFF, YOU ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR PROGRAM.
JEFF KA COULD NOT SURVIVE WITHOUT YOU.
YOUR PATIENCE, PASSION, AND PURPOSE LIGHTS UP THE PATH FOR OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE OF YOU.
OUR CLASSROOMS, OUR SAFE HAVENS BECAUSE OF YOU, OUR CHILDREN LEARN TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES.
AND FINALLY, TO OUR GRADUATES.
AS YOU GET READY AND PREPARE FOR KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND, I WANT TO RE I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER, YOU ARE SMART, YOU ARE KIND, YOU ARE CAPABLE, AND YOU ARE READY.
READY TO LEARN, READY TO LEAD AND READY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
WHEREVER YOU DREAM, HOW FAR YOU DREAM, IF IT IS TO BECOME A DOCTOR, A TEACHER, A CHEF, A BUILDER, AN ARTIST, OR EVEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, ALWAYS KNOW THAT YOUR HEAD START FAMILY BELIEVES IN YOU.
YOU COME FROM A COMMUNITY OF LOVE, RESILIENCE, AND STRENGTH.
AND AS LONG AS YOU STAY CURIOUS, KEEP TRYING AND TREAT OTHERS WITH KINDNESS, THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN'T DO.
LET'S CHEER, LET'S CELEBRATE GRADUATES BECAUSE TODAY
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WE DON'T JUST WITNESS A CEREMONY, WE WITNESS YOUR FUTURE.SCHOLARS GO FORWARD BOLDLY AND AS ALWAYS, REMEMBER YOUR STORY AND WHERE IT BEGAN.
IT BEGAN WITH JEFF KA HEAD START.
AND FINALLY, AS PETE, THE CAT WOULD SAY, THE BUTTONS MAY FALL OFF, THE SHOES MIGHT GET DIRTY, BUT LIFE IS STILL GROOVY.
KEEP ROCKING, KEEP READING AND KEEP BEING YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS JEFF KA SCHOLARS.
AMAZING AND ENCOURAGING WORDS.
NOW LET US CONTINUE TO SHOWCASE THESE WONDERFUL GRADUATES.
WE'LL HAVE THE HEAD START POURING BY THE STUDENTS FROM LAPALCO HEAD START.
THEN WE WILL HAVE A DANCE BY THE STUDENTS FROM JULIN HEAD START, FOLLOWED BY A CLASS SONG BY THE STUDENTS FROM LAPEL HEAD START.
I LEARNED SO MUCH AND COME A LONG WAY.
WE NOT TURN ON MY CITY OFF MY HOME WITH FLYING LOVE NO CEILING.
WHEN WE IN ZONE SUNSHINE KNOW I CAN SEE.
BUT YOU, WHEN YOU DANCE, DANCE, DANCE.
ALL THOSE THINGS I SHOULD BE DOING.
WHEN WE MOVE, YOU ALREADY CAN'T STOP THE
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I CAN'T STOP THE I CAN'T STOP THE I CAN'T STOP.I CAN SEE DANCE, DANCING, DANCING.
BEFORE WE TURN THE PAGE TO THE NEXT STAGE IN OUR LIVES, WE'D LIKE TO SING THIS SONG TO YOU.
THIS IS A REPEAT AFTER ME SONG.
SO MAKE SURE YOU REPEAT EVERYTHING I SAY AND DO.
YOU TO CHICKEN WE CHICKEN WE CHICKEN BOWL.
NOW IT'S A TIME WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR THE PRESENTATIONS OF THE GRADUATES.
EACH OF OUR FOUNDATIONAL CORNERSTONE CENTER SUPERVISORS WILL COME UP AND PRESENT TO YOU THEIR GRADUATES.
OUR FIRST WILL BE MS. JEANETTE GIMO ABERT FROM JULIN, SORRY, FROM BEACH GROVE HEAD START.
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MORNING.ONCE AGAIN, I AM JEANETTE GILMORE ABERT FROM BEACH GROVE HEAD START.
WE HAVE MS. PATRICE JEFFERSON, AND MS. CYNTHIA DAVIS.
NOW WE WILL HAVE THE CENTER SUPERVISOR FROM JUTLAND HEAD START.
I'M MISS CHANTEL STEVENS FROM JUTLAND.
MY TEACHERS ARE MS. ISHA TAYLOR AND MS. AISHA JOHNSON, HARMANI BAPTIST.
DIAMOND MITCHELL, DEVON, O QUINN, KAISER PAYNE, J PIPKIN, AZARIA RANDALL, AUTUMN ROGERS, CRUZ BENNETT, AND DREAM WALKER.
MS. LASHANNA BROOKS AND MS. LATOYA HENDERSON, LIAM CHOPIN, IRENE JACKSON, JAMES IRVING, COREY FLOWERS, CADEN GUEST, BRENNAN ROBINSON, JR.
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COME, COME HELP ME.NEXT WE'LL HAVE MS. TALIA ALLEN FROM LAPALCO HEAD START.
AND NOW WE'LL HAVE LAPALCO HEAD.
START WITH OUR TEACHERS OR MS. ALICIA TER AND MS. CASINA ROBERTS.
MARCELLUS DREAM BANKSTON, ASIA.
BIRTH, AMIR COOPER, KEVIN IME, IVY FRAZIER.
WRITER JONES, MALIK LOPEZ, JR.
WILLIAM SMITH, THE FOURTH KINLEY THOMPSON.
JANIAH WILLIAMS. AND THIS IS CLASS ONE.
OUR TEACHERS ARE MS. ISHA WRIGHT AND MS. SHANNON HAWKINS.
AND OUR CHILDREN ARE ALIA, BENJAMIN REVIA.
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ROME PETITE.OUR TEACHERS ARE MS. KAREN, SAUL AND MISS JASMINE HARDY.
TARIQ ALA JABARI ANDERSON, CLARENCE ARD JR.
INDIA FRAZIER, BRADON FUSION, ISRAEL.
JANVIER, ELIAS JOHNSON, SANTANA JUNIOR, NOAH KING, NEVAEH, NEWTON, BRADEN, NICHOLAS KASSAN, STEWART SAHAJ WILEY.
GIVE THEM ANOTHER HAND AROUND APPLAUSE.
NEXT WE WILL HAVE WEST MEY WITH LISA MITCHELL.
FOR WEST MEY HEAD START, WE HAVE THE TEACHERS, MS. PRECIOUS DENT, AND MS. ANGIE ROBERTSON, GIANNA COX, MOHAMED, ELNA, BRARY, DANIEL GARAWAY, WOO.
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KAYLEE LINUX, LENOX, ALEXANDRO, RAMIREZ, ANAYA ROBERTSON, ISABELLA.SO WINTER STOVALL, LAMBORGHINI, LAMBORGHINI WILLIAMS AND MASON YOUNG.
HEY MASON WEST MADIE HEAD START.
I WANNA TAKE THIS TIME TO CELEBRATE SOME SPECIAL PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION, OUR PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE STAFF OF JEFFERSON HEAD.
PLEASE STAND TO THE DEDICATED STAFF OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH COMMUNITY ACTION HEAD START PROGRAMS. WE WANT TO EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, TIME AND EFFORT TO ENSURING JEFF CAP HEAD START PROVIDED A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.
WE WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR TIRELESS DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO THE CHILDREN OF HEAD START AND UNENDING SUPPORT TO THEIR FAMILIES.
YOUR WORK HAS BEEN NOTICED AND APPRECIATED.
AGAIN, WE SALUTE ALL THE STAFF OF JEFFERSON PARISH HEAD START.
WE ARE DEEPLY SADDENED BY THE LOSS OF MS. LYN MARTIN.
SHE HAD AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND EVERYONE AT JEFF KA HEAD START FOR 28 YEARS, OUR CONDOLENCES TO HER FAMILY MET HER LEGACY, CONTINUED TO INSPIRE GENERATIONS TO COME.
ON BEHALF OF THE JEFF KAPP FAMILY, MS. ROSALYN VEAL HAS A FEW WORDS ABOUT HER BELOVED FRIEND AND COWORKER.
TODAY WE HONOR THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MS. GERALD MARTIN, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN TO US AS MS. JERRY OR THE MODERATOR, OR SIMPLY JERRY.
WE REFLECT ON THE PROFOUND IMPACT SHE HAD DURING HER DEDICATED YEARS AT JEFFERSON PARISH HEAD START.
BEGINNING HER JOURNEY AT THE FORMER WEST BANK HEAD START.
MISS JERRY POURED HER HEART INTO NURTURING AND GUIDING COUNTLESS CHILDREN.
IN 20,008, SHE TRANSITIONED TO THE ALCO HEAD START WHERE HER UNWAVERING PASSION FOR EDUC EDUCATION AND COMPASSION FOR HER STUDENTS SHOWN BRIGHTLY UNTIL HER PASSING.
WHEN THEY ASKED ME TO DO THIS TRIBUTE TODAY, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT MY GOOD FRIEND, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT SHE MEANT TO EVERYONE AT LAPALCO HEAD START AND THAT JEFF CAP HEAD START.
WE ALSO CALLED JERRY TRIPLE OG THE MODERATOR BECAUSE THAT'S WHO SHE WAS.
I DON'T WANNA TALK ONLY ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP, AS I SAID, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT SHE MEANT TO ALL OF US WHO ARE MISSING HER DEARLY AND WHO LOVED HER LIKE MISS DANA, MISS YVETTE, MS. MAHOGANY, MISS KAREN, MISS VIVIAN, MS. ALICIA, I COULD GO ON, ON AND ON FOR DAYS ABOUT THE IMPACT SHE MADE ON JEFF CAL AND ANYONE WHO KNEW HER.
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YOU KNOW, TODAY WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL INFLUENCERS.TODAY WE SEE THEM ON FACEBOOK, WE SEE THEM ON INSTAGRAM AND ON TIKTOK.
WELL, JERRY WAS AN INFLUENCER AND SHE WAS NEVER ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
SHE INSPIRED AND INFLUENCED US ALL.
MISS JERRY WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST WORKING PEOPLE I'VE EVER KNOWN.
SHE WAS DEDICATED, SHE WAS THOUGHTFUL AND ALWAYS WILLING TO GO THAT EXTRA MILE.
MORE THAN THAT, SHE BROUGHT, BROUGHT WARMTH AND HEART TO EVERYTHING SHE DID.
SHE WASN'T JUST A COLLEAGUE, SHE WAS A TRUE FRIEND.
AND HER SUDDEN PASSING LEAVES A SPACE THAT CAN'T BE FILLED AT JEFF GPP HEAD START.
BUT HER KINDNESS, STRENGTH, AND SPIRIT WILL ALWAYS STAY WITH US.
AND TODAY WE WANNA HONOR HER CHILDREN, MS. RAQUEL HOWARD AND MR. RASHAN HOWARD.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR FAMILIES AS WELL.
DEAR PARENTS, WE GIVE YOU BACK YOUR CHILDREN, THE SAME CHILDREN YOU ENTRUSTED TO OUR CARE LAST FALL.
WE GIVE THEM BACK POUNDS, HEAVIER INCHES, TALLER MILES, MO WISERS, AND MORE RESPONSIBLE AND MORE MATURE THAN THEY WERE THEN.
ALTHOUGH THEY WOULD HAVE, THEY WOULD HAVE ATTENDED THIS, THIS IN SPITE OF US.
IT HAS BEEN OUR HAPPY PRIVILEGE TO WATCH THEIR PERSONALITIES UNFOLD DAY BY DAY.
MARVEL AT EACH NEW ACHIEVEMENT, EACH NEW SUCCESS AND EACH NEW EXPANSION OF SELVES.
WE GIVE THEM BACK RELUCTANT FOR HAVING SPENT 10 MONTHS TOGETHER.
WE HAVE BECAME A, A SENSE OF A ESSENTIAL PART OF EACH OTHER.
WE SHALL ALWAYS RETAIN THAT RELATIONSHIP.
THIS YEAR WE WILL HAVE LIVED LOVE, LAUGH, PLAYED, LEARNED, AND ENRICHED EACH OTHER'S LIVES.
WE WISH IT COULD GO ON INDEFINITELY, BUT GIVE, BUT WE GIVE THEM BACK.
TAKE CARE OF THEM FOR THEY ARE PRECIOUS AND ONE OF A KIND.
REMEMBER THAT WE SHALL ALWAYS BE INTERESTED IN YOUR CHILDREN AND THEIR DESTINY WHEREVER THEY GO, WHATEVER THEY DO, WHATEVER THEY BECOME, THEIR JOY AND SORROW.
PLEASE CALL ON US IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE, IN THE FUTURE WE CAN EVER DO FOR THEM.
HAVE A SAFE SUMMER, THE GRADUATION COMMITTEE.
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WILL HAVE THE CLOSING REMARKS FROM OUR JEFF KA ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR, MS. JULIE PATHOLO.NOW THIS IS THE PART YOU'VE REALLY BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO.
THIS IS THE END OF OUR CEREMONY.
BUT FIRST WE WANNA GIVE SOME THANKS.
WE WANNA THANK BELIEVERS' LIFE FOR THEIR BEAUTIFUL EDIFICE, PASTOR RANDY SALU FO, WHO IS THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH WHO ALLOWED US TO USE THIS FACILITY, UM, IN PLACE OF THE RIO CENTER.
I WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF MANY STAGES YOU WILL CROSS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF THEM.
I'M GONNA ASK AT THIS TIME THAT YOU ALLOW OUR STAFF AND THE CHILDREN TO MAKE IT TO THE BACK AND GET SETTLED BEFORE YOU GO BACK THERE.
THE BACK ROOM ACTUALLY HAS ENOUGH SPACE JUST FOR THEM.
SO IF YOU GUYS CROWD BACK THERE, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE A LITTLE TIGHT.
SO IF YOU CAN PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU SIGN YOUR CHILDREN OUT WITH YOUR TEACHER AND COME BACK OUT INTO THE LOBBY AREA OR THE, UM, PARKING AREA, THAT AREA.
WE DON'T WANT IT TO GET TOO CROWDED AND WE DON'T WANT OUR KIDS OVERSTIMULATED.
UM, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, LET'S LET OUR GRADUATES STAND ONE MORE TIME.
GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
CONGRATULATIONS JEFF KA, HEAD START IFIED PROGRAM CLASS OF 2025.