The Little Sequoit program is a staple of Antioch Community High School. After enduring a rough year trying to teach curriculum without live students, the administration has finally allowed preschoolers on school grounds.
Despite tremendous progress, the Little Sequoit Preschool still takes precautions because of the pandemic. They are limited to only 13-14 students maximum in one classroom; students only eat pre-packaged snacks and need to bring their own water bottles.
“Part of the reason why I came back as a teacher’s aid was [that] I didn’t actually get to interact with the preschoolers when I was in the class last year, but now I can,” senior Olivia Lahti said, who took Introduction to Preschool last year.
Focusing more on the program in room 118, the Little Sequoits Preschool provides an avenue for students who may want to pursue a career in teaching to gain prior experience. The preschoolers, who are usually between the ages of three and four, come to the north side of Antioch Community High School on Tuesdays through Thursdays.
Senior Avery Larson, a teacher’s aid for the fourth-hour Introduction to Preschool course, has been in the program for the past three years.
“Every day, we separate them half-and-half; one half goes into the hallway to do a gross motor activity (hands-on activity), and then the other half stays in the room to do a fine motor activity such as coloring, painting, drawing,” Larson said. “I feel like it’s a good class for everyone to take because it’s unlike every other class where it is not full-on interaction. With preschoolers, you deal with kids and real-life scenarios.”
The unique dynamics of the class make it perfect for students who do not want to be stuck at a desk all day. When scheduling classes for next year, consider joining the Intro to Preschool class.
