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Grandparents return to class
By Denise Dick
Youngstown
St. Christine Parish School was packed Friday with not only the young but the young at heart.
About 540 grandparents visited their grandchildren at the school for Grandparents’ Day, attending a morning Mass, checking out the artwork, posing for family photographs and eating lunch packed by their grandchildren.
Second-grader Olivia Grace Perline, 7, of Canfield, packed turkey and cheese sandwiches, water and a peach for each of her grandparents, Jeana and Ralph Perline of Liberty.
“And Cheetos,” Jeana said. “I love Cheetos.”
Last year’s Grandparents’ Day lunch wasn’t as successful.
“She packed Cheerios,” Jeana said, laughing. “I was not too happy. I told her I don’t eat Cheerios for lunch. They were dry.”
Olivia Grace is named for Jeana’s mother, Grace Vivolo, 93, of Liberty, who wasn’t able to make Grandparents’ Day.
Olivia Grace showed Grandma and Grandpa her school and a picture she drew of dragons during the day’s festivities.
Trish Tudor, parent of a seventh-grader at St. Christine, organized the event, which is in its seventh year.
“There are activities in every room,” Tudor said.
Both the students and their grandparents enjoy the day, she said.
“Grandparents play a vital role in a child’s upbringing,” said Principal Doreen DeMarco. “We wanted to recognize and thank them for that.”
The Rev. John Keehner, who’s been St. Christine Church’s pastor since September, enjoyed his Grandparents’ Day, too.
“It’s great,” he said.
First-grader Kase Anderson, 7, decorated a lunch sack for his grandma, LaTraill Miller, with “Nanny I love you” on it.
He packed her a ham sandwich, chips, cookies, pop and a fruit cup. He got the same thing in his lunch, packaged in a Lightning McQueen lunch bag.
Kase presented Miller with the artwork he made for her.
“It’s my house,” he said of the piece, which features popsicle sticks, tongue depressors, fabric and a drawing.
Kase said having his grandma at school made it a good day.