Grandparents Day brings generations together at Ridgeway School

Side by side on the playground and at craft tables, Ridgeway School students turned a brisk spring morning into a celebration of family and tradition Friday as they welcomed their adoring grandparents.

The annual Grandparents Day celebration transformed the school grounds into a lively, multigenerational gathering, where families connected through play, creativity and shared time together. 

The visitors joined their grandchildren for a morning filled with games and activities, from cornhole and jump rope to swings, hula hoops and time on the playground. Others gathered at tables and on the pavement for quieter moments, working on coloring projects and arts and crafts. 

Chalk drawings stretched across the ground in bright colors, while students and their grandparents illustrated pictures on paper and collaborated on creative keepsakes. Grandparents also took time to capture special moments on their phones. 

For many families, the event has become a cherished tradition.

“We’re loving it. It is so much fun to be here with our grandkids, Andrew and George and Felix,” said Karen Trepp, who attended with her husband, Rick. “George is in fifth grade and the others are in third grade. We’ve been coming every year, and it’s fabulous.”

The connection to Ridgeway runs deep for the Trepp family.

“George’s father and his uncle were students at Ridgeway too,” she added. “It’s a family place.”

That sense of continuity and community was felt throughout the morning, as grandparents moved easily between games, conversations and activities with their grandchildren.

Lisa Smith, grandmother to Blake and Brody Kirby, said the event is one she looks forward to each year.

“I’ve been coming for the event four or five years. I love it. It’s great. The tradition is great,” she said. “Certainly, grandkids need to see their grandparents on a daily basis. It forms their morals and their upbringing, helping their parents out. So it’s a great event that they do here.”

Ms. Smith also praised the broader school community.

“I love the district. It’s a very nice district. They really care for the kids, and they do a great job,” she said.