McAlister Students Celebrate at Luau Farewell

"Aloha, Welcome to Sunrise Park."

As Suffield fifth graders exited their buses at Sunrise Park Monday morning, volunteers draped Hawaiian leis around their necks. Some students came dressed for the occasion in grass skirts and tropical shirts. They all were ready to party, luau style.

The luau is part of an annual tradition where the students spent some of the final week of school celebrating and coming together before heading to middle school the next fall. Parent volunteers create a tropical-themed paradise each year to give the kids a proper send-off.

"Things went really well," said Michelle McFarland, who organized the event with fellow parent Kim Guzzo. "I think the kids had a really good time."

Students took group pictures, made photo books and competed in a limbo contest. They also built sandcastles on the beach and went for nature hikes. Some found frogs, others marveled at the water snakes sunning themselves on the rocks. The lower field was a bevy of activity with capture the chicken (a variation of capture the flag), volleyball, soccer and hula hoops proving to be popular.

The event finished up with a picnic lunch on the lawn before the rising middle schoolers got back on their buses and headed down the mountain back to McAlister.