Wednesday, Aug. 16, is just another beginning to a new school year for most Beaver Dam students but for some, it is the very first day of a 13-year journey filled with curiosity that will soon be satiated with knowledge.

There’s a first time for everything and on her first day of this journey, brand new kindergartener, Chelsea Wooten is well prepared on what will surely be an exhausting first-filled day for the five-year-old. She is sporting her brand new Shopkins backpack filled with paper, a pencil and marker, a small notebook and an assortment of erasers because you never know when you’ll want to wipe out a mistake.

Wednesday was the first day she could officially use them; daddy gave her the pencil, it’s the kind he uses at work as a carpenter. Mom Samantha Wooten prepared her well for lunches by making her the home made “lunchables” Chelsea thought would be best for her afternoon nourishment; they were in the backpack as well to be eaten during her very first real school lunch period.

Chelsea Joe Wooten is beginning her very first day of school ever at Beaver Dam Elementary School on Wednesday, Aug. 16. There’s a first time for everything and on her first day of this journey, brand new kindergartener, Chelsea Wooten is well prepared. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

Young Chelsea discovered, in her before-the-first-day-of-school-days, when trying the backpack on for size, that bringing her baby sister Emmalyn to school for show-and-tell may be a bit of a challenge because, “She doesn’t really fit and she makes the backpack too heavy to carry.” Photo courtesy of Samm Wooten

Young Wooten discovered days ago, when trying the backpack on for size, that bringing her baby sister Emmalyn to school for show and tell may be a bit of a challenge because, “She doesn’t really fit and she makes the backpack too heavy to carry.” She’ll have to find another way to show Emmy off at her very first show-and-tell, whenever that will be, and hopes that mom might help her out with that.

She was also very careful about the new outfit she wore for the first time on her very first day of school ever. Her favorite color is pink so she had to wear a pink shirt and it had bling; swirls of silver glitter sparkled in the sunlight but the shirt was not to be outdone by her shoes. Gold sparkly tennis shoes adorned her feet and although mom helped her pick out the shirt and pants, the shoes were all her own idea. All in all, this brand new kindergartener was happy with her first day of school couture.

As young Wooten disappeared into the crowd of children waiting on the playground parents stood by taking pictures of their child’s/children’s first day of Kindergarten, First, Second…grades.

Parental conversations ranged anywhere from having the house back to challenges they’d be facing in the year ahead and missing their babies being home but the general feel among them all was bittersweet as they stood by watching their own child/children join their friends and others in the ranks of those who seek knowledge.

Conversations among the children were very different and consisted of things like “Am I going to like my new

On Wednesday, Aug. 16, the first bus of the year lets out the first student on the first day of school at Beaver Dam Elementary. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

teacher?” “Is my best friend going to be in the same class with me this year?” and” I wonder how much homework my teacher gives.” You know, all the important stuff.

Playground equipment that sat abandoned over the summer will once again be filled with sounds of laughter and delight from the ‘nearly’ carefree students Why nearly you ask, well… there’s always that homework.