Remember the days of red and pink-decorated classrooms, personalized shoe boxes, and dropping off Valentine’s Day cards for your classmates? Through the years, Valentine’s Day feels less and less special, as skepticism, busyness, loneliness, embarrassment, and more take over the day intended for spreading love. This year, The Blue and Gold spent some time back in the elementary school hallways. Admiring not only the decorations scattered throughout the classroom but also talking with different students to remind the jaded high school mind of the more simplistic, sweet days of youthful love! 

Mrs. Rebsamen’s Kindergarten Class:

Claire Lieber, 6-years-old!

Shows love: “by being kind and healthy.”

Favorite Valentine’s Candy: “Valentine’s Gummies.”

Excited to: “get gifts and have a fun day.”

Lucy Wilken, 5-years-old!

Shows love by: “helping people when they fall down.”

Favorite Valentines candy: “kitkat.”

Excited to: “give gifts and showing love.”

Thomas Ausel, 6-years-old!

Love is: “kindness.”

Shows love: “if someone doesn’t have any food I give them some.”

Favorite Valentine’s candy: “I pretty much like all the candy.”

Most excited to: “give gifts to others.”

Eli Vazquez, 6-years-old!

Love is: “kindness.”

Shows love: “through kindness.”

Excited to: “give gifts, notes and candy. My favorite Valentine’s Day candy is gummy hearts”

Mrs. Russell’s First Grade Class:

Kate Severson, 6-years-old!

Love is: “caring for others and helping people.”

She loves her: “parents and shows her love to them by helping them”

She is excited to: “give other people gifts on Valentine’s Day. My favorite Valentine’s Day candy is Candy Hearts.” 

Henry Matheson, 7-years-old!

Love is: “when I can spend time with my family.”

He shows love by: “helping people when they are hurt or helping them if they are in need.” 

He is excited to: “pass out treats to my classmates on Valentine’s Day. My favorite Valentine’s Day snack is Pringles. 

Wade King, 7-years-old!

Love is: “happiness.”

He shows love for people by: letting other people go first. He is excited to exchange candy with his classmates. His favorite Valentine’s candy is sweethearts.

Elyn Flowers, 7-years-old! She thinks love means sharing with others and being kind to them. She shows her love to people by giving them gifts and helping them. She is excited to see her classmates’ reactions when she gives them gifts on Valentine’s Day Her favorite Valentine’s Day candy is Hershey bars. 

Mrs. Joffe’s Second Grade class:

Braylynn Dawson, 8-years-old! 

Love is: “doing your best and try and love each other.” 

Loves: “her mom, dad, and God. I show my love to them by doing what they ask immediately.”

Valentine’s day is: “being with friends and family is the best part of Valentine’s Day. My favorite Valentine’s day candy is Comet Hearts.”

Calum Moye, 8-years-old!

Love is: “trust and loyalty. “

Loves: “family, I show my love by listening to others and what they have to say. “

Valentine’s Day is: “a special time to spend with your friends and family. I get to play with friends and family. My favorite Valentine’s candy is Reese’s peanut butter cups.”

Caleb Sanderson, 8-years-old!

Love is: “trusting people.”

She loves: “family, I show that by doing what they say.”

Valentine’s day is: “a day full of love and expressing love to one another.”

He is excited to: “hang out with his family and exchange cards with my friends. My favorite Valentine’s Day candy is chocolate.”

McKinney Greer, 8-years-old! 

Love is: “showing kindness and being nice.”

Loves: “friends and family and enjoys spending time with them.”

Her favorite Valentine’s Day candy is:“hearts with the little words on them.”

She is excited to: “spend time with her classmates on Valentine’s Day and to do fun things with them.”

Mrs. Anderson’s Second Grade class:

Claire Thompson, 7-years-old!

Love is: “kind, like something that is nice and you like to be with the other person and you like them.”

Loves: “mom and dad. I show love by giving presents! “

Valentine’s Day is: “love and I am excited to exchange presents and give cards and candy to my classmates. My favorite Valentine’s Day candy is chocolate shaped like hearts.”

Hudson Hicks, 8-years-old!

Love is: “being nice to another person.”

Loves: “God, Jesus, and my family.”

Valentine’s Day is:  “a day to love other people and enjoy giving people things.”

Excited to: “give things to each other and my favorite Valentine’s Day candy is everything and nerds.”

Makenna Charlebois, 8-years-old!

Love is: “being kind to other people and spreading kindness to them.”

Loves: “family and I show that to them by spending time with them.”

Excited to: “do the Valentine’s exchange with my class. My favorite Valentine’s Day candy is chocolate!”

Roman Fulginiti, 7-years-old!

Love is: “treating people beyond how you normally would.”

Loves: “everyone in his class and Carmel. I show my love by giving presents.”

Valentine’s Day is:  “a way to give love to other people and to make lots of friends.”

Excited to: “show love to others and to give presents with my classmates. My favorite Valentine’s candy is nerds. “

Mrs. Lee’s Fourth Grade Class: 

Eva Grosse, 10-years-old!

Shows love by: “being kind and helping people if they need help.”

Excited to: “give things to my  classmates. My favorite Valentine’s Day candy is sweet tarts.” 

CiCi Reid, 9-years-old!

Love is: “showing kindness to people who may or may not deserve it. I show my love by helping people”

Excited to: “give gifts with my classmates on Valentine’s day. My favorite Valentine’s Day candy is chocolate hearts.”

Carlos Granados, 10-years-old!

Love is: “showing kindness to others. I show my love to people by helping them.”

Excited to: “to do the gift exchange with his classmates on Valentine’s day. My favorite Valentine’s Day candy is Skittles.”

Dominic Sanchez, 10-years-old!

Love is: “passion and kindness.”

Shows love by: “standing up for them.”

Excited to: “give gifts to my classmates on Valentine’s Day. My favorite Valentine’s Day candy is hersheys.”

Mrs. Shea’s Fifth Grade Class:

Leah Stewart, 11-years-old!

Love is: “happiness.:

Loves: “parents, friends and sister.”

Valentine’s Day is: “a day to love people full of hugs.”

Excited to: “decorate bags in the morning and give my classmates candy. My favorite Valentine’s Day candy is sour Skittles.”

Ben Gordon, 11-years-old!

Love is: “joy and happiness.”

Loves: “parents and siblings and I show my love through hugs.”

Valentine’s Day is: a celebration and I am excited to bring in candy with my class and share it. My favorite Valentine’s candy is sour Skittles.”

Caroline Musselwhite, 10-years-old!

Love is: “a deep interest in something.”

Loves: “a lot of people, my parents and friends. I show my love with words of affirmation and by giving presents.”

Valentine’s Day is: “a day you show your love to people. My favorite Valentine’s Day candy is Skittles.”