#52 Stories--Story #47

What was your first introduction to formal education--preschool, kindergarten, homeschooling? What do you remember about those first few years?

I believe I participated in a preschool when we lived in Sunnyvale. I don't remember much of it.  But I believe I attended at a local community park area.  It seems to me that much must have happened that I do not recall. 

I must have had a kindergarten year as well in Sunnyvale. The only think I remember about hat experience is a day when we got to learn about grocery stores and "pretend" to be shoppers.  The strongest memory in that episode was the choice I had to pick a box of Lucky Charms cereal--which was not allowed in our home. I felt so empowered to choose that otherwise contraband breakfast food.  Who knows what other lessons sank in quite so deep!

We moved to Gilroy when I was in 1st grade and I began elementary school at El Roble school, with Mrs. Owzarzak as my teacher. I remember having a turn to bring the classroom guinea pigs home for a weekend--and they DIED!  That was the worst to me as a kid. The cage had been placed on the front porch, just in front of the kitchen window and the sunshine in the late afternoon or evening that weekend was too hot and too strong for their little bodies.  They overheated and died.  I was sure I'd never be allowed to have another class-pet come home with me again.