The start of a school year can be an interesting challenge for children and parents. The class of 2035 began their academic introduction early as they took part in the Kindergarten Roundup in Plains March 30. There were 22 young boys and girls going in and out of two kindergarten classes at Plains Elementary to go through many different tests. There were many adults there in the two classrooms checking the future kindergarteners for a variety of skills, abilities, including counting, building a three block tower, standing on one foot, identifying the letters of the alphabet, having their eyes checked, and a nurse getting information on their current health.

Monica Weedeman and her son Clinton were at roundup. Clinton was quick with counting up to 29 before he had a challenge with the next number. His mom laughed and was very encouraging as he went on to work with counting Lego blocks, and making a tower with three of the blocks that were in front of him on the small desk.

The Plains Lions Club had an area set up to check the youthful eyes with a special machine that determines if the child needs to be referred to see someone about their vision.

Sydney Underhill came into the room and was a little nervous with so many adults and all the attention being on her. Within a few minutes of talking with the three men, she was all smiles just before she had her eyes checked and nodded when she was asked if she would like to have her picture taken while she was having her eyes checked. She placed her head in the chin rest and looked at the smiley face displayed on the machine, which she followed with her eyes as it moved. A computer hooked up to the machine was gathering information about her eyes and it would then inform the men the results, which would then be given to the educators and parents.

The kindergarteners will be back in the same classrooms at the end of this school year, which will be late May to meet their teachers and learn which classrooms they will be in this fall to begin more fun and tests.

Reporter Douglas Wilks can be reached at dwilks@vp-mi.com or 406-826-3402.