Over fifty bikes outside of Corl Street Elementary School

Back to school for my family this year brought a bunch of “firsts” and “lasts” to our nostalgic hearts. As my daughter, Rose, heads into fifth grade, it’s our last year of having a kid in elementary school. Which means it’s the last year for us as parents to bike or walk with her to school each day — a regular part of our daily rhythm.

We attended our last Corl Street Elementary School Ice Cream Social, our sweet ritual for the last twelve years that helps ease the back to school jitters by giving families a chance to meet their children’s teachers and enjoy bowls of locally made Meyer Dairy ice cream. We watched Rose and her friends run around on the playground while we mingled with some neighbors, noting the new families with the tiny kindergartners getting to know other parents.

Librarian Paige Davis talks with students at Corl Street Elementary’s ice cream social

When we bought our home in State College just over sixteen years ago, our oldest son, Connor, was just one year old. We would watch the parade of kids, parents, bikes and dogs from our living room window each morning and play on the playground of the school in the years before he started kindergarten.

Now Connor has begun his Junior year at State College Area High School — and while he can still walk or bike himself there, he only needs his parents for a car drop off when it’s raining or when he has too much soccer gear to carry.

Our middle son, Will, started his first year at State College Area High School. He took full advantage of the wide variety of courses the school has to offer and was so excited to get his top choice electives of culinary arts and photography. He is also taking an AP Human Geography class, which, if he does well on the AP exam, could earn him some college credits.

Will insists that we don’t need to get him a chef coat for the level one culinary arts class he is taking, however if he moves into higher levels, proper chef attire is mandatory. The culinary program at State College Area High School is truly impressive. They offer classes in a professional, commercial kitchen where students can earn a number of industry certifications and become eligible for post-secondary credits. For now we are hoping he surprises us with dinner one night — or at least brings back something delicious he made in class.

Connor has been solidly into soccer over the years and plays with the State College Area High School Varsity Team. As parents we are involved in the booster club, helping out at the concession stand during games and making plans for the players to get meals when they take buses and travel to play. It’s a great way to be part of the soccer community and get to know the other parents and players.

Will retired from soccer after his eighth grade year and began looking for a new sport or activity. He thought about going out for the freshman football team, which has a great reputation as a solid program, and then he learned about State College Area Rowing.

State College Area Rowing Team eight-person boat

The rowing team is a co-ed group of ninth through twelfth graders and they have been very welcoming to Will as a newbie or “novice” as they say. The team practices out at Bald Eagle State Park, a thirty-five minute drive away several days a week and then trains on rowing machines or “ergs” the other days. There will be two regattas this season and four or five in the spring season in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Rowing is another first for Will, and so far it seems to be a great fit for a kid who loves being out on the water. It’s been really fun watching him get into something new and get plugged into his high school era with energy and high spirits – which is something I think we all wish for our kids.

When we talk with friends who have kids in schools in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington DC metropolitan areas, they are often surprised to hear about the kinds of programs and opportunities we have here for our kids.  As our kids get older and want to explore different interests, we encourage them to pursue new endeavors – and we are so grateful to live in a place where they have so many choices.