They're only five years old, but preschool graduates from the Settlement Music School have already learned a lot about the world from each other.
The students here represent thirteen nationalities on five continents.
They celebrated their diversity, through costumes, dances, and songs, at today's graduation program.
"We are encouraging the kids to recognize who they are and be proud of it," the school's executive director, Robert Capanna, said.
The little ones are graduating from Settlement's Kaleidoscope program, which incorporates the arts into their everyday lessons.
"I learned science, music, art, and dance and I learned how to dance like a ballerina," graduate Anika Koruba said.
"It's such a gift to be able to expose your child to art, music, and dance at such a young age," Anika's mother Eleanor said.
The parents couldn't be more thrilled with the results.
"It seems that with the art program she has expressed herself so much more and she's matured," Addy O'Neal said of her daugther.
"Math and English and all that is taught through art, music, and dance, which makes it such a phenomenal program," Sandy Thapsen said.
When it was time to put on their caps and gowns, they put on graduation caps they designed themselves.
As Settlement's students say farewell to preschool, they are prepared to take creativity into the academic world.
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