There’s a lot to be thankful for at A.W. Beattie, not the least of which was a pair of Thanksgiving parades!

The Early Childhood Education program and KiddieTech preschoolers have long enjoyed their own annual parade in the hallways of the Career Center as a way to show appreciation for the school, to celebrate each other’s hard work, and to teach the preschoolers about the joy of giving and gratitude.

A pair of students, Deer Lakes sophomore Riley Jones and Hampton Township sophomore Simone Panza, decided to think a little bit bigger this fall for their FCCLA Chapter Service Project, in which they will compete in 2026.

For classes to participate in the parade, they donated $20 each, eventually totaling $360 plus a food drive that will provide meals to families through North Hills Community Outreach.

“I hope everyone understands why we’re doing this and why it’s important to give back in our community to organizations like North Hills Community Outreach,” Simone said. “I hope this fills everyone with the spirit of thankfulness and giving, especially our KiddieTech students.”

***A History Lesson***

FCCLA is a Student Service Organization, in which students in Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts and Early Childhood Education may participate in activities to promote personal growth, build leadership skills, network, etc.

The organization is most commonly known for students participating in state and national competitions.

As a part of FCCLA, students like Riley and Simone also address needs in their community.

A.W. Beattie students in FCCLA have coordinated with North Hills Community Outreach for seven years by preparing Thanksgiving Meals for individuals and families in need in surrounding communities.

“It made sense to bridge the FCCLA Thanksgiving tradition with the growing Parade tradition so that each would benefit those in need,” Mrs. Cari Ludwig, the Early Childhood Education instructor, said.

In addition to the monetary and food donations raised by parade participants, FCCLA students in Culinary Arts and Pastry Arts will also prepare nearly 300 Thanksgiving meals for North Hills

Community Outreach.

***How the Parades Came Together***

Riley and Simone quickly connected in class, especially when KiddieTech students joined them for lessons in reading, math and science.

That’s why, when prompted to consider who they may want to work with in FCCLA, they immediately thought of each other and the possibilities of what they could do to make the parade a large-scale event.

“There have never been floats,” Riley said. “It was always more for the ECE students and KiddieTech students walking together while the little kids say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone else.”

Together, they pitched their ideas to programs and students around the Career Center, garnering enough interest to prompt the parade to go outside where there would be enough space to accommodate everyone who would be involved.

“We definitely recognized it was probably going to be big and a lot of work, but it’s actually been really manageable,” Simone said. “The more we’ve worked together, the more excited we get for today’s parades.”

***A Love for Learning***

On the morning of the parades and in between answering questions, Riley and Simone became intermittently distracted by preschool students being dropped off at KiddieTech.

Double-doors separated the high schoolers and preschoolers, but it was difficult for the pair to hide their excitement.

“I love this,” Riley said. “It’s getting me prepared for the real world. It’s getting me prepared to be a teacher if that’s what I decide to do. Our program is very lab-based, because we are always with the KiddieTech kids. If you’re tired one day, you still have to meet the little kids with a smile. It gives you a sense of gratitude and accomplishment when you see them happy and actively learning and developing because of what you are doing with them. It’s so fulfilling.”

“Every day that I’m at Beattie I’m happier than when I came in,” Simone added. “Being in our classroom is like being in our own small community. We spend nearly two and a half hours together. We’re very close, and we enjoy every day together.”

Riley and Simone pondered over the beginning of the school year.

The first time they met the preschoolers, they were welcomed by the unfiltered joy and curiosity that only children that young authentically bring to each interaction.

And now?

They’ve made real connections.

There’s a unique dynamic between the Early Childhood Education high school students and preschool-aged KiddieTech students, one that explores personal growth and development for each learner.

As the little kids learn and grow, so do the high school students that want to be the next generation of teachers.

“Being positive is helpful for everyone’s growth,” Simone said. “Having one-on-one time with each kid is extremely helpful for them, so the connections we have with them really do matter.”

“If you are having a bad day, the small kids are going to put a smile on your face,” Riley added. “You can’t not smile when you’re at Beattie.”