Turning 100
Students mark 100 days in the classroom
A pint-sized granny with curlers stuck in her gray wig walked through the doors of Marshall Elementary School last week. One county away, at California Area Elementary, students pasted a variety of items, including cheese puffs, Cheerios and chocolate chips, to a paper.
One hundred of them, to be exact.
It would seem that area schools have found 100 ways to celebrate the school year’s 100th day, a mini-milestone for students that typically hits in late January or early February. From art created using cutouts of two big zeroes and a one, to scavenger hunts (for 100 items, of course), and from shirt-decorating contests to dressing up in their best centenarian finery, students, teachers and parents make the day one to remember.
“The 100th day of school is one of those memorable days that we all can celebrate together,” said Austin Savona, a fourth-grade teacher at Ringgold North Elementary Center. “It helps remind the kids to celebrate big things and small things. The 100th-day mark is a day where we can look back on everything we’ve learned and things we’re going to continue to learn. This is a marker point we can celebrate as a whole.”
There are a couple of stories circulating regarding the genesis of celebrating the 100th day of school, but most attribute it to Lynn Taylor, a teacher in Livermore, Calif. In 1979, she wanted to underscore what 100 actually meant for her students, so she made that point through emphasizing the 100th day of the school year.
Area schools do the same, using a variety of activities to celebrate, both physical, like running the 100-yard dash, and creative, like figuring out how to string together 100 paper clips.
And while learning is definitely the order of the day, so is fun, said Dr. Jessica Scott, principal at Marshall Elementary School in the Laurel Highlands School District.
Scott said the school jumped on the Taylor Swift bandwagon when its 100th Day of School Era took place on Feb. 1.
“It’s a big deal,” Scott said. “The kids like coming, the teachers do some fun things.”
Parents, she said, “go all out for this day.”
“Kids will come with their fake walkers, their hair in curlers or their hair gray,” Scott said.
Adam Brewer, principal for grades 3-5 at Charleroi Elementary Center, said they’re doing a different take on their 100 days, which hit this past Monday.
“Last year, we did a spirit theme where students dressed up as if they were 100 years old,” he said. “This year, we flipped the script. Since there’s only 80 days of school left, everyone’s (dressed) like it’s the 1980s.”
Some schools set up scavenger hunts to engage students.
At John F. Kennedy Catholic School in Washington, they searched for 100 logos hidden throughout the school on Feb. 1, that school’s 100th day.
“Usually, on the 100th day most of the preschool and kindergarten classes bring 100 items in. One of the teachers thought it would be cool to have the kids search for 100 JFK logos,” said Kimberley Stevenson, JFK principal.
And since that day seems to fall during Catholic Schools Week, Stevenson said it’s an even bigger celebration for JFK’s students.
Marshall Elementary students have a little friendly competition to see who can decorate the best 100 days T-shirt, and the school carries on the fun. They also mark the 101st day, carrying over the fun with “101 Dalmatians Day.”
“Everybody wears spots and the kids all look like Dalmatians,” Scott said.
Savona said students at Ringgold North solve problems based on 100.
“It’s teaching the skills that we teach all of the time and putting them more into a social aspect for them,” he said. “It’s a day where they get to interact with their peers even more and celebrate their accomplishments.”
Photo spots were placed throughout the school for students to take pictures by themselves or with friends. Fourth-grade students at Ringgold North are also encouraged to reflect on their last days as elementary school students.
At California Area Elementary, the 100th day was Jan. 31.
“Our day was full of engaging and exciting activities that required the students to reflect on what they have learned over the past 100 days,” said third-grade teacher Maddy Tosi.
Math students designed 10 different models to show the number 100, and a 100-day workout or 10 different workouts, equaling 100 movements.
“Undoubtedly, their favorite part of the day was when they counted out 10 pieces of 10 different yummy snacks,” Tosi said.
The day also happened to be Tosi’s birthday.
“So we had lots to celebrate,” she said.
Emily West’s kindergarten class had a special breakfast with 100 pieces of their favorite cereal, made necklaces of 100 beads (which they had to count out) and shared mystery bags of 100 items.
Students also completed a “When I am 100 years old” writing/drawing activity, finger painted 100 gumballs and counted 100 licks of a Tootsie Pop to see if they got to its soft center.
“When planning the 100th day, it is all about creating an experience that students will never forget,” West said. “Kindergarten is about building their love of school and celebrating even the smallest holidays. The activities themselves are a combination of my own ideas with those from other teachers.”
No matter how it’s observed, teachers said they look forward to the excitement that their students bring.
“It’s a big accomplishment to get to 100 days. … They’re starting to count by units of 10, getting to 100. All day long, I hear kids counting. It’s 100 all over the place,” said Scott.
And that’s exactly the point.
“It makes learning exciting. They’re excited to be at school. That’s what we want,” said Brewer.