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Earl students share classes, lunch with loving adults
adults day pic
Ryan Durkee, a kindergartner at Earl Elementary in Turlock, is joined by several generations of grandparents during Loving Adults Day at the school. According to Earl staff Logans family was the largest gathering of grandparents they had ever witnessed. From left to right: Great Grandpa Bob Reel, Grandpa Charlie Ulrich, Grandmother Gigi Ulrich, Great Grandmother Brenda Reel, Great Grandpa Herb Summers, Great Grandma Mary Summers, Great Great Grandma Florene Moore, Great Aunt Patty Reid, and Grandma Ruth Durkee and Kelli Calvert-Durkee. His mother Brandy Durkee is not pictured. - photo by JONATHAN MCCORKELL / The Journal

Earl Elementary School had a packed campus on Wednesday as hundreds of parents and adult loved ones joined students during the 12th annual “Loving Adults Day.”

The day serves as a celebration of parents and adult caregivers in the role of their student’s educational experience, according to Earl staff.

“It is a way to honor the adults and people who are important in our students’ lives and to show that our school appreciates all that they do for their children, this is a win-win for everyone” explained Principal Tami Truax.

Parents had the opportunity to sit in on a class period and partake in lesson plans. One class even held a dissection, and other classes had performances. After the class period adults ate lunch with their student.

Perhaps the most remarkable occasion of the day was the attendance of kindergartener Logan Durkee’s expansive family of grandparents. To explain the complexity that is his family would be impossible — he had nine grandparents, one great aunt and his mother in attendance — the eldest being his Great Great Grandma Florene Moore, 91, and a direct line of five generations leading back to young Logan. The family was by far the largest on campus and a unified show of support for Logan.

“Everyone just really wanted to be there for his first Loving Adults Day because they all love him so much and they wanted to share that day with him,” said Logan’s mother Brandy.

The day was of such significance that Logan’s paternal grandmothers Ruth and Kelli Durkee flew in from Dallas, Texas just to be there.

Logan’s family was the largest family on campus but other families appreciated the occasion just as equally. Bob and Marge Screen joined their grandchildren Nellie, 11, and Nathan, 7, for a quick bit to eat. Bob and Marge have attended the event every year since their grandchildren started attended Earl. “It’s fun to see what kind of stuff they are feeding the kids these days,” joked Bob. “Now they have fruits and veggies. In my day you brought a sack lunch or you just didn’t eat.”

Things sure have changed, but parents and adult loved ones remaining actively involved in their children’s education hasn’t.

To contact Jonathan McCorkell, e-mail jmccorkell@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2015.