Horizon Elementary School students observed the 100th day of the school year with fun crafts, math challenges and community outreach.

Teachers used all curricula components to acknowledge the children’s successes and accomplishments. “It was a day of celebrating, reflection and planning for the last 80 days,” second-grade teacher Annette Driggers said.

Normally, students in kindergarten learn to count to 100, so second-grade teachers do expect children to have mastered it. “However, we use hundred’s charts frequently to complete missing numbers, add and subtract. Place value is an integral component of our math curriculum,” Driggers said.

To reinforce one-to-one correspondence, the second-graders created hats with 100 items. The children placed their snacks into piles by ‘fives’ to practice skip counting.

In Driggers’ classroom, small groups solved 100-piece puzzles. “I incorporated ‘100’ in my reading. The children looked for particular words, vowel sounds and adjectives,” she said.

First-grade teachers coordinated a parade, and students decorated T-shirts with 100 items. Kindergarten teachers helped children make headbands.

Driggers’ boys and girls competed in a canned food drive for the Downtown Rescue Mission. They exceeded Driggers’ challenge for 100 cans and contributed 309 cans of tuna, beans, corn, tomato sauce and other vegetables. “The boys won the contest and received a free ice cream cone,” she said.

During the contest, students stacked cans in groups of 10. “It was interesting to watch children multiplying their groups of cans and adding multiple numbers,” she said. The food drive also opened dialogue about homeless shelters.

Second-grader Bethany Stoots said, “The 100th day of school just meant happiness. We had lots of fun while doing a lot of 100 things. I love being with my friends.” Bethany’s parents are Bobby and Monica Stoots.

Aidan Newby also thought the observance was fun. “I liked counting the snacks and giving the cans to the poor people.” Aidan’s parents are Josh and DeAnne Newby.

“I loved looking at everyone’s hats. All the hats were different,” Cassidy Lefoy said. Her parents are Christopher and Tracy Lefoy.