Elgin Public Elementary Holds First Ever Vocabulary Parade

The Elgin Public Elementary students took part in a unique parade Monday afternoon.

Kindergarten through sixth grade participated in the vocabulary parade, where students came dressed as a certain word.

Kindergarteners chose a letter and dressed up as an object that starts with that letter while first- through sixth-grade students chose a vocabulary word to show the meaning with a costume for the parade.  

The goal was to help students learn new words and remember their meanings based on the creative costumes that they see their friends wear. The family project helped get everyone involved in education.  

The project was based off the book "Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster" by Debra Frasier, in which a girl mistakes the word "miscellaneous" during one of her teachers weekly vocabulary lessons. 

Fourth-grade teacher Crystal Borer came up with the idea after getting an email about it from Scholastic.

"The teachers met and decided it was a good idea and decided to have it during American Education Week," Borer said.

Being the first time the elementary had ever done a vocabulary parade, Borer didn't know how it would go.

"It went well; we're glad they all liked it," Borer said. "They all had fun; they all had a costume."

Borer said that one of the biggest challenges was figuring out where and when to hold the event. It was originally scheduled for last week, but due to inclement weather and school dismissing early, the event was postponed to Monday.