Kanawha Elementary helps man mark 100th birthday
Harold Nelson was the Guest Of Honor at Kanawha Elementary Monday as the school celebrated the 100th birthday of their friend and neighbor. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)
Kanawha Elementary Principal Matt Null asked students to share something they learned about fire safety Monday during the school’s Fire Safety Week. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)
Sparky the Fire Dog dances with Kanawha Elementary students Monday as they wait to wish the school’s long time neighbor and friend, Harold Nelson, a happy 100th birthday during Fire Safety Week. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)
Harold Nelson was the Guest Of Honor at Kanawha Elementary Monday as the school celebrated the 100th birthday of their friend and neighbor. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)
Kanawha Elementary Principal Matt Null asked students to share something they learned about fire safety Monday during the school’s Fire Safety Week. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)
Sparky the Fire Dog dances with Kanawha Elementary students Monday as they wait to wish the school’s long time neighbor and friend, Harold Nelson, a happy 100th birthday during Fire Safety Week. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)
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WALKER -- Kanawha Elementary had a special guest Monday as they celebrated the 100th birthday of their longtime friend and neighbor Harold Nelson, who was born on Oct. 15, 1923.
Principal Matt Null said this was part of the school's Kanawha GAINZ.
"Kanawha GAINZ is our way to teach social and emotional learning," Null said. "This particular skill is called 'Honor Your Neighbor,' and that's what we wanted to do today."
GAINZ stands for Growth, Attitude, Impactful, Noteworthy and Zeal.
Null said Nelson has lived next to the school since it was built in 1961 and has always been supportive. He said Nelson was a World War II veteran who served in Italy and worked in the timber industry before and after the war. He said Nelson has been living in his house since 1954.
"He is the first neighbor of our school," Null told the students gathered in the gym to wish Nelson a happy birthday. "We thought it would be awesome to have Mr. Nelson in and sing him happy birthday for his 100th birthday."
The students enthusiastically sang happy birthday to Nelson and Null delivered him a stack of cards from the students and staff full of well wishes.
"We believe we're all in this together, that we're all stakeholders of our students' education," Null said. "It takes the community to elevate our students' education."
This was also Fire Safety Week for Kanawha Elementary students who got to learn from, and spend time with, Smokey the Bear, Sparky the Fire Dog and members of the East Wood Volunteer Fire Department. Students shared things they learned with the group that included to stop, drop and roll if your clothes are on fire, to not use water to put out a grease fire and to not hide during a fire so that fire rescue personnel could find you.
Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com