Winola Elementary welcomed over 350 guests Friday for its first-ever “Grand Pals”, a casual, family-focused gathering designed to let students share their school experiences with grandparents, mentors, or anyone “grand” in their lives. The event ran from 2 to 3 p.m. and featured four interactive stations throughout the school.

Students and their guests could visit classrooms to decorate picture frames, share interviews about their favorite memories and activities, enjoy ice cream in the gym, and take family photos to commemorate the day. Attendees also had the chance to play together on the playground.

Principal Kari Roberts expressed her excitement following the celebration, “The energy in the school was palpable, and the turnout was nothing short of phenomenal… Your presence brightened our day and provided our students with memories they will treasure.” She also thanked the PTO, teachers, and staff for their dedication, noting that their hard work made such a large and complex event run smoothly. Roberts said the school is already looking forward to next year’s celebration.

The event was organized by the Winola PTO in partnership with Roberts. PTO lead organizer Kaitlyn Calderone said the goal was to create an enjoyable experience for both families and staff. “We just wanted to be as helpful as we could to our staff and also bring an opportunity for families to get into the building, but not make staff do more,” Calderone said. “We tried our best to create an event that’s more casual, and into the whole building and not just one part.”

Calderone also highlighted the PTO’s volunteer opportunities, “We don’t get a lot of participation, everybody wants to help. I want people to know our meetings are where we do a lot of this planning – people don’t realize that’s all meetings are. They’re very welcoming and very casual for those who wanna come help with events like this and have ideas to offer.”

Families moved through the stations at their own pace, making for a relaxed afternoon full of keepsakes, sweet treats, and special moments between students and their “grand pals.” For Winola, it marked the first event of its kind, and organizers hope it will become an annual tradition.