During late March Pre-K students who attend Early Childhood Education (ECEC) were given tours by high schoolers. ECEC teachers Anna Taylor and Cheryl Dexter began brainstorming last year, AAE grants had to be submitted by February of 2022, and the teachers received news that the grant was approved September 2022. The grant Dexter and Taylor wrote was titled “all around town”, and consisted of funds to order books about the community.

The tours raised questions about why are students touring a school they won’t attend for another 10+ years. “At ECEC, we say, college begins in pre-K and so we [begin] here at ECEC, preparing them [students] for college, and getting them ready for their careers. We talk about what their opportunities are, and what is out there for them. Tupelo High School is one of those where they start making some choices about what career they want and what classes they want to attend.” Taylor said.

The process of the students being exposed to the opportunities around them creates excitement and motivation for their futures. Concerned about how the special needs children would get around the school they stayed in the gym. “The special needs children did not tour the school they stayed in the gym and Waverly came to them and they got to play/see Waverly” Taylor said. Plans for the next tours are already in demand! “Well, we’re hoping to be very much about before spring break this time instead of after, that would be kind of our only change,” Dexter said. “We really appreciate the people at THS for accommodating us and working with us. All the students and all the staff were so welcoming and they loved seeing our kids and we really appreciated that. THS welcomed us with open arms!” Dexter said.