Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — A poster on the floor of the school gym is adorned with the scribbled names of Ridgeline Elementary School kindergartners, who pledged, "I will be college-ready, Class of 2036."
The kindergarten students listened to their teacher, Amy Dinkelman, read the picture book, "Monte Goes to College" to kick off the Canyons School District College-Ready Day — a 15-year tradition that caps the young students' first full week of school. The book tells a story of a fox named Monte who works hard to learn and save money in elementary, junior high and high school so he can go to college.
Educators say it's not too early to talk about college with 5-year-olds. College-Ready Day teaches the students about the path of education they have just started, and gives them a goal to follow that path to college or trade school.
"It's to get them to focus on that there's a reason we're learning to read, there's a reason we're learning to write. We're (focusing on) goals; if you want to be a doctor, great! We start here to reach our goal," said Dinkelman, who has been teaching for 13 years.
"I promise to work hard and do my best," the kindergartners chant, following Dinkelman's lead.
She said talking to the kids about college may appear to be too much, too soon, but it's a great way to set a foundation for the children to aspire to higher education.
"It really reminds me that we're setting the foundation for the next 12 years of their lives and, really, the rest of their lives," Dinkelman said.
As the students colored paper graduation caps, they shared stories with their teacher about people they know who have worn similar caps to graduate in.
Dinkelman's first students were fourth graders, who have since graduated from high school. She said it is surreal getting graduation announcements from the kids she's taught.
"It just shows that our hard work as teachers does pay off," she said.
