An annual tradition that involves various members of the community brought first graders from the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns on an exploratory trip on May 3. They not only visited local businesses throughout Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown but some local professionals visited them at W.L. Morse.
The young adventurers had a day full of excitement as they took part in Morse’s “School Trip Around the Community.” The field trip teaches students the unique services that different businesses provide to the community and is held the first Friday of May each year.
“It’s a lot of fun. We have been doing this since 2010. We have partnerships with different businesses in the community,” said Leslie Meehan, a first grade teacher at W.L. Morse. “The first year we replicated the bank, the police station, and everyone came to us. Then we thought everything was accessible in the community so we decided to take a trip around the community and have been doing it ever since.”
Find out what's happening in Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollowfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Approximately 193 students rotated throughout the school and the town as they learned how businesses affect the community in which they live. The Horsemen Parent Teacher Association (PTA) provided the students with bags to hold all of the swag that they received during their excursion.
"Our traditional Trip Around the Community is always a highlight of the first-grade school year. Students are amazed at what the inside of a jail cell, a courtroom, and an ambulance look like,” said Tonya Richardson, first grade teacher and Team Leader. “The community organizations and the Horsemen PTA continue to be so supportive in helping to pull off this event. Every year it gets better and better.”
Find out what's happening in Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollowfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Life Center, the Police Department, Village Hall, Fire Department, and the Sleepy Hollow Bookstore where all local stops.
Visits by businesses to W.L. Morse included Main Street Sweets, Warner Library, the YMCA Dance Stage, Village of Sleepy Hollow Ambulance, Yoga presented by Physical Education Teacher Tawn Turnesa, and “La Famosa” Bodega.
The students agreed that it was the best day ever and they each had their own favorite stop along the tour of the community.
"I am going to come back to the bookstore tomorrow with my mom so she can have coffee and I can look at more books," said student Kimberly Z.
Parent chaperones joined in on the fun as they received tours of the local Police Department, Village Hall, and Fire Department. A librarian from Warner library brought books to show the students and gave each student a bookmark and a pencil and while at the bookstore they each received a book thanks to a donation made by Kendal on Hudson. The students even received some treats along the way courtesy of Main Street Sweets and through donations organized by the Horsemen PTA.
“I would like to thank all the members of the community for embracing us and taking the time to welcome us to their businesses,” said Ms. Meehan.
