By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
The kindergarteners from Valley of Enchantment Elementary School recently took a field trip to the Crestline post office on Lake Drive. This field trip often makes a big impression on the students, as they get to go behind the scenes of the post office and see its inner workings.
On Tuesday, Feb. 4 the students from Ms. Dosey’s and Ms. Endemen’s classes took the tour and on Thursday, Feb. 6 the students in Ms. Hall’s, Ms. McCook’s and Ms. Suski’s classes went on the post office field trip.
The busses parked on Wildrose Lane and the students then walked together through the parking lot to the post office. The students were accompanied by teachers, parents and adult volunteers during this special behind-the-scenes look at the post office. The students were given a tour of the post office facilities and then allowed to become a postal worker for a while.
The students entered through the regular public entrance door that many were already familiar with, from going with their parents to pick up their mail. They were greeted by Crestline postal workers and shown the front post office box area. First, they saw the front desk where the public buys stamps and picks up packages.
Next, the students got the special treat they had been promised. They were allowed to go through the special door that usually is only opened before hours or on weekends after the bell is rung to pick up packages. They got to go behind the scenes, into the back of the post office. Some of the parent chaperones were amazed at all the boxes and thousands of letters inside as well, as most had never been in the back part of the post office either.
While at the post office, they were taught everything necessary to make the post office work efficiently by the friendly postal staff. First, they were shown, on a large card, how to properly address a letter and then they got to postmark some letters with a real rubber cancellation stamp. Some hit the cards hard with the rubber stamp and some were timid, using the inky rubber stamp in canceling the letters. Then, each took their letter they had just hand-stamped and placed it into a mailbox.
The postcard demonstrating how to address a letter. (Photos by Rhea-Frances Tetley)
They were then shown the back side of the post office mailboxes and not only got to see how all the mail is put into the boxes, but each student got to actually place a letter into the back side of the post office boxes, just like a real postal employee. “This was fun” and “I didn’t know it was so big” were a couple of the comments from the students.
One of the fun things they got to do was have their picture taken by the teacher as a superhero of their choice such as an astronaut, a super woman or a rocket, by stepping up behind the stand-up action figures and putting their head through the cut out for the face. The students smiled really big for this part of the trip.
“My mom takes me here all the time” and “This is my post office where we get our mail,” said a couple of the girls. A little boy said, “It was special to me because my grandma mailed me a letter once, and now I know how it got here.”
“It is important for the kids to have a little understanding about the post office and see how the mail gets to their post office box,” said Crestline Postmaster Ken Cooper. “I am glad we had this opportunity to show the children the many parts and steps there are to mailing a letter. My workers were very excited to be able to share these days with the kids.”
The postal workers hope the children had a great time and learned a little bit about how the mail is handled at the post office. Since the mail is not delivered to houses in the mountain communities, as it is in the city, the post office becomes a common experience for all families. This opportunity for the students, at such a young age, to know something about the post office and how it works is good for all in the community.
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