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From little knight to big knight, Henry’s first day of school
McCOOK Neb. — Across the country, five-year-olds are reaching an exciting milestone: starting kindergarten.
One of them is Henry George Kautz, the son of Joshua and Georgia Kautz. The day before his first day at Saint Patrick’s Elementary School in McCook, Henry chatted with the McCook Gazette, and he shared his thoughts again after school let out on that special day.
On Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, Henry officially became a kindergartener! As the oldest of three siblings, he kicked off his first school day with enthusiasm. He eagerly anticipated using headphones, coloring, and even feeding the class fish. Proudly, he shared about his school supplies, which included a Batman backpack and a brand-new Mario pencil box.
When asked if he was nervous, Henry confidently replied, “No.” The evening before, he had attended a “back-to-school night,” where he learned that some of his friends would be in his class, reassuring him.
Transitioning from preschool at St. Pat’s, Henry described himself as a little knight moving up to become a big knight. “I think it will be a long day, and after school, I’ll be tired,” he said, reflecting on his upcoming adventure.
On Friday morning, Henry’s mom took him to school, capturing his beaming smile in a photo on his first day. Contrary to his expectations, Henry was bursting with energy even after the busy day.
Once inside the classroom, he hung up his belongings and joined his classmates in heading to the church to pray — a wonderful start to their day. They then embarked on a quest around the school to find gingerbread men, and upon completing their search, they were rewarded with delicious gingerbread cookies.
During recess, the monkey bars called to him, but they were too crowded, so he chose to save that adventure for another day. In PE, he eagerly ran around, showcasing how they exercised — but noted with surprise that push-ups were not part of the activity.
At lunchtime, Henry enjoyed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peaches, and chocolate milk. Although salad was offered, it didn’t make it onto his plate. He loved dessert, which looked like pie, exclaiming, “It was really good!”
Looking ahead to the rest of the school year, Henry enthusiastically shared, “I like drawing, making gingerbread, eating gingerbread, and doing everything—and wearing my shirt!”
With his joy and eagerness for learning, this promises to be a memorable year in kindergarten. With so many adventures awaiting him, Henry is off to a promising start on his educational journey.