•               Pamoja Elders 1                  Pamoja Elders 2
    Pamoja Prep Academy @ Cole preschoolers and kindergarteners celebrated Elders and Harvest Day recently. The watoto (children) have been learning the value of having elders in our community and ways to honor them in African cultures. 

    The watoto were also comparing similarities and differences in the foods that are harvested and eaten in Africa and North America.  One example of the food would be the watoto experiencing the transformation of cream into butter (science-change in matter).  In America, students usually see butter in a package in the grocery store, but during Elders Day, they had the opportunity to make fresh butter by shaking heavy dairy cream in baby food jars.   

    Guest speakers were elders Helen Mensy (93-years-old) and Winnerfred Stennis  (great-grandparent and grandparent of watoto Nyrijiah Keeton).  The elders spoke with the students about their experiences as young children and the importance of passing down family history to the children. Several parents and other family members joined us and assisted the students.