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Parades and Music Part of Festivities for Children

April 20, 2009 — Lionel Roberts Stadium was filled with tiny folk Monday morning, as about 70 tots paraded around the grounds happily marching wherever they wanted in a mini-parade celebrating the Week of the Young Child.
In formation they were not; having a wonderful time they were. And that was the point of the program.
"Regardless of their background, our youth deserve the opportunity to be loved and nurtured by all, and not separated or isolated from the rest of society," said Gov. John deJongh Jr. in proclaiming the week of April 19-25 as Week of the Young Child.
The two Head Start groups at the stadium needed no encouragement. The Berg's Home Cowboys, smartly attired in bandannas and cowboy hats, jumped up and ran to greet the Knud Hansen Indians as they marched, hopped or ran into the gathering. Parents and Head Start teachers tried to organize the group. They might well have tried nailing gelatin to a wall or herding cats.
No matter. The youngsters had the spirit of the day well in hand.
"It's so much fun for them,"said Masikia Lewis, Human Services Department assistant administrator for St. Thomas-St. John, watching the display with a smile as wide as the youngsters'.
The Indians' hats bore feathers — and messages. Each child had a banner extolling various virtues: Happy, Honest, Laughter, Creative, Responsible, Friendly. This last virtue must have influenced the morning, as not a tomahawk or six-gun was in sight.
The morning got off to a slow start, as a rain shower delayed some of the buses getting to the stadium, but once under way, things got moving. Calypso music boomed from the stage, while teachers and parents did a version of j'ouvert, tramping along with the youngsters.
Activities will continue throughout the week, including pajama parties, storytelling, family fun/parent days, open house for fathers, arts and crafts, literacy, safety awareness, socials, nutrition workshops and cultural activities, Lewis said.
Head Start, a federally funded program, serves children ages 2 years and 9 months to 5. Territory-wide 894 children are enrolled in Head Start, with 432 of them on St. Thomas and St. John.
The Week of the Young Child is a national event created by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. DeJongh noted in his proclamation that the national theme is "Bring Communities Together for Children, Children Bring Communities Together."
"It is important," the governor said, "that we love our children, teach them manners and respect for others and help them to develop socially and professionally. High-quality early childhood services represent a worthy commitment to our children's future."
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