Kindergartners meet high school seniors in heartwarming "Pats to PATS" event

NAPLES, Fla. — Kindergartners and high school seniors came together Wednesday morning at Aubrey Rogers High School for a heartwarming tradition called "Pats to PATS."

Veterans Memorial Elementary School kindergartners boarded two buses and then took to the turf to meet the oldest students in their district in a relatively new tradition designed to build connections across grade levels.

The event featured kindergartners on one side of the field and seniors on the other, awaiting a prompt to meet at midfield. "Once a Patriot always a Patriot" lanyards as well as sunglasses were gifted to the younger students by the seniors.

Students participated in activities like duck duck goose, often with groups of 10 seniors and kindergartners playing and conversing together.

"They see the seniors as superheroes and the seniors in many ways see them also as little heroes," said Jessie Garcia, principal of Aubrey Rogers High School.

For some students, the event held special meaning. Kindergartner Landen Sanchez was excited to see his cousin, Aubrey Rogers and senior Nathan Vargas.

"I was looking forward especially seeing my cousin here, going to interact with other kids, and pave the path for the younger generation," Vargas said.

Vargas explained the importance of showing younger students what high school life is like.

"You got to show the little kids about what it's like to be a senior, be in high school and just get them excited to be able to come here and be a Patriot," he said.

Athletic Director Ted Parsons, who served as a master of ceremonies of sorts, spearheaded this tradition last year after seeing a similar idea at another school.

"I hope that they'll be able to look back and see pics and videos of this day and remember I was once here and get excited to come here," senior Taylor Griffith said.