Waiting For Water Day

By: Brandon

Riverside Elementary School students are getting ready to end the school year with laughter, sunshine, and plenty of water during the school’s annual Water Day celebration.

Water Day will be held on the blacktop and will give students a chance to celebrate the end of another successful year with outdoor activities, water games, and time with friends and teachers. Students will enjoy water slides designed to help everyone cool off in the Florida heat.

Many students are expected to come dressed in swim clothing and bring towels and a change of clothes as they prepare for one last memorable event before summer break officially begins.

Water Day is a fun way to end the school year because it gives everyone a chance to relax, celebrate friendships, and make lasting memories before heading into summer vacation.

As the school year comes to a close, Riverside Elementary students are looking forward to Water Day and the exciting summer break ahead.

5th grade OWA trip

By: Nalani

Did you like the field trip to OWA? How did you feel about it? Well, when we all went to OWA, we had a two-hour bus ride. We rode charter buses, so it was way better than an actual school bus.

Once we got to OWA, we were all in groups with chaperones, so we weren’t wandering off by ourselves. Once everyone was settled, we went on rides and had so much fun! In my own opinion, my favorite ride was the Twister. The Twister turned you around while going upside down. It was really fun, but somewhat scary at the same time.

The roller coaster was really big, but it shut down a couple of times because water got into the systems when it rained. I wasn’t able to get on it because it shut down, but some people said it was scary and came back crying. On the other hand, other people said it was the most fun ride there.

Do you prefer Music or Coding?

By: Francheska

How do you feel about music and coding? Well, I like both, but which one do I like more? That’s a hard question.

I really like music a lot because, for instance, I can play recorders, guitars, and many more instruments! Mrs. Suggs is also a pretty good teacher when it comes to music.

I also really like coding because we get to mess around with Artificial Intelligence, or AI, and we get to practice our coding skills. Coding is actually really useful for when we grow up because, in just a few years, we will have to learn Python. By using these coding skills now, we kind of get an advantage!

But enough about how I feel. Let’s see how others feel and which one they would prefer.

First, we will interview some kids in our grade. I am going to start with a girl named Bella.

“Bella, which do you prefer, music or coding, and why?”

“Music, because I like to play the instruments Mrs. Suggs has.”

Next, we will interview a boy named TJ.

“Coding, because I don’t like recorders and stuff.”

Next, I am going to ask a girl named Aria.

“I like music better because I get to play the violin.”

Lastly, I will interview a boy named Roman.

“Music is better because it’s just music to my ears, and you get to hear your favorite song.”

Kindergarten Ceremony

By: Athena

It’s crazy seeing the little kids we have been with turning into 1st graders. It’s sad that they are not going to be the same kindergarteners next year, but I am also really excited to see how much they grow after the year.

Will they be grown up and not the same, or will they change but still be the same kids they were this year? It is scary and exciting to think about before everything happens, but these are my thoughts about what I will see next year.

During the kindergarten ceremony, it felt like they were now 1st graders, not the kids we knew before their last day of being kindergarteners.

When I was there, I was taking pictures, and the Clear Touch showed flashbacks of the fun and memorable moments in their lives. I was about to cry because these moments are important, not just to me, but to everyone. Parents were seeing their kids grow up fast and healthy, and I was glad to be there to take photos.

You don’t want to grow up because you have to do things you thought you wouldn’t have to do when you were younger.

Story Time

By: Harper

At Riverside Elementary School, we have Story Time. Story Time is when students from kindergarten through 2nd grade go to the library with Ms. Davis. They sit in the story corner while she reads children’s books to them.

The story corner is a special spot in the library where students listen to stories. I don’t go to Story Time anymore because I’m in 5th grade, but I did a couple of years ago, and I loved all the books we read.

Let’s see what Ms. Davis has to say about Story Time…

How do you feel about Story Time?
“It is my favorite part of the day!”

Do you think the kids enjoy it?
“Yeah, I think they do. Sometimes when we don’t have it, the kids will come up to me and say, ‘I missed Story Time!’”

I, along with all the students who go to Story Time, am so thankful that they get the opportunity to spend that time reading with Ms. Davis, learning, and using their imaginations at Riverside!

Gifted & Enrichment Classes

By: Gabby

At Riverside Elementary School, there is Gifted and Enrichment classes. Enrichment is for kids who score really high on their class work and tests. They might do puzzles, games, projects, or creative thinking activities to help their brains grow even bigger. These classes usually are 30 minutes once a week.

Gifted is for kids whose brains learn very quickly and differently. They go to a special class regularly where they work on deeper thinking, big ideas, and harder challenges made just for them. These classes are usually an hour and a half once a week.

Let’s see what our fellow peers think about those classes.

Quinn said that she likes Gifted and Enrichment because she gets to go to a different class and have fun working with her peers. She wishes that instead of working alone, she could work with others more often.

On the other hand, Harper said that she loves how they do lots of partner work, but she does not like that it only lasts 30 minutes.

Alyanna and Anna said that they like how they are able to grow and express themselves better in classes like Gifted and Enrichment.

5th Grade Completion

Riverside Elementary celebrated 5th grade students during their completion ceremony on Tuesday, May 19, in the evening at the SRMS gym. Families, teachers, and staff gathered to recognize the hard work, growth, and accomplishments of our students as they prepare to move on to middle school.

During the ceremony, students were called up by class. As each student’s name was announced, they walked across the stage and received their certificate from their teacher. It was a special evening filled with proud smiles, applause, and memories of their time at Riverside.

Francheska addressed the group with a speech that captured the moment beautifully. Her words reminded everyone how meaningful this milestone is for our 5th graders as they say goodbye to elementary school and get ready for the next chapter. Here’s what she had to say:

“Today as I stand here, my heart is full of memories, gratitude, and just a little bit of fear too... because today, we aren't just saying goodbye to a class. We are saying goodbye to a whole chapter of our life. These classrooms, these teachers, and the school.

They have seen our laughter, our tears, our fights, our patch ups, our scoldings, and our silly mistakes. And honestly, I never realized how precious these moments were until today.

When we entered this school, we were nervous, maybe shy. But today, we are leaving as middle schoolers — confident, strong, and prepared. And this change didn’t happen because of us alone. It happened because of our teachers.

To ALL our teachers — thank you for every lesson, every scolding, every “You can do it,” and every time you believed in us more than we could ever believe in ourselves.”

Harper

To start I was very nervous and scared but I was encouraged by the help and support from not only my family, but my friends too.

Gabby

At first I was nervous overthinking about it. Then after I realized how fun it was to be able to be and actually have people supporting me. It was fun to cheer on my friends as loud as I could and embarrass them.

Francheska

I was kinda nervous at first, but then my teacher, Mrs. Jones, encouraged me, and I felt way more confident. Then I got to play the violin, and after that, I made my speech. At first, I was nervous, but after everyone clapped and my teachers were proud, I felt a little bit better. Then my name was called, and I got my things from Mrs. Beck and enjoyed the rest of the day.

Brandon

The graduation was good. We were happy with each other that we graduated 5th grade. The band was good, but i think the string was better than the 5th grade band. When my name was called i was so nervous.

Nalani

First, we got into the gymnasium and found our seats. There were a lot of parents and families there, which made it feel really special. When it was my turn to walk up, I got really nervous, but it was actually pretty fun. The yearbook team took pictures of people walking in and leaving, which was fun to see.

It is sad to think about going to 6th grade next year because we have been in elementary school for so long, and now we are leaving that behind. I am honestly nervous for 6th grade, but I am also excited.

The band played well, and you could tell everyone had worked hard to prepare. The violin players were extremely good, too. Some students got really excited when their names were called and they were doing flips and doing extra stuff. Athena was seated right in front of me, and I could tell she was nervous, but I knew she was going to do great. Frankie gave a speech, and it was really good. She did an amazing job.

After the ceremony ended, a lot of people stayed to take pictures with their families and friends. Next year, I think many of us will be going to Shoal River, and I am going to miss everyone a lot, especially the teachers.

I want to say a special thank you to Ms. Amador, Mrs. Chapman, Mrs. Sykes, Mrs. Black, Mrs. Hope, Mrs. Butler, and Coach Tucker for everything you have done for me. I am really going to miss you all. 🙁

Athena

When I first got there, I was really excited because this was the day I was moving on to 6th grade and middle school. I felt confident, and many of my friends and people I knew were there. Everyone was dressed nicely, and the girls looked so pretty.

Before the ceremony started, I checked how I looked one last time, and I felt happy and confident. Then the teachers told us to get in last-name order. After that, we walked to the locker rooms and waited until it was time to be seated.

Once I sat down, I saw Nalani sitting behind me. Then the ceremony began, and my confidence started to go down a little. I told myself I was going to be fine. The principal gave a speech that made me feel sad about leaving elementary school because some of the people I made connections with might not be around as much next year.

Francheska gave a speech, too, and she made me feel proud and confident. She was wise, confident, and smart. I thought it was amazing that she was brave enough to speak in front of everyone.

The band played, and even though they had a small moment to fix, they kept going. The violin players were really good. Then it was time for each class to be called. When it was my turn, I felt nervous, but the principal told me not to be scared. When everyone clapped, my confidence came back.