Storybook characters come to life in Heidelberg

By Dijon Rolle, USAG Baden-Wuerttemberg Public AffairsNovember 3, 2010

Storybook characters come to life in Heidelberg
Mark Twain Village Elementary School students, teachers and parents gathered for their annual book character parade Oct.29 in Heidelberg, Germany. The event is designed to promote reading and allowed children to dress up as their favorite storybook c... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

HEIDELBERG, Germany - A colorful cast of storybook characters came to life to take over the streets surrounding Mark Twain Elementary School in Heidelberg Oct.29.

The lively procession included the likes of Snow White, Ramona Quimby, Optimus Prime, Wonder Woman, Pippi Longstocking, the Statue of Liberty, Cleopatra and several sets of bespectacled Harry Potters with spell books in tow.

Students, teachers and parents marched together during the school's annual book character parade held each year on the last Friday in October.

The event was designed to promote reading and allowed children to dress up as their favorite characters for the day.

U.S. Army Garrison Baden-WAfA1/4rttemberg commander Col. William Butcher, dressed in a pirate costume and eye patch, and Command Sgt. Maj. Annette Weber, decked out in a pink Power Ranger suit, served as grand marshals for the event.

The two urged the students to do their best in school and to have fun during the parade as participants soaked up the unseasonably warm temperatures and sunny skies.

Seville Cress has participated in the parade for the past three years and this year the fourth-grader opted to go as Lady Liberty.

"I watched 'Ghost Busters' and then I decided the Statue of Liberty would be a great costume for me," Cress said. "I made it myself. The torch took a long time to make but the fire inside of it is fake."

The fourth-grader also revealed her distinct dress was actually a hospital gown she picked up during a doctor's visit.

"It was great parade this year and my friends and I had a lot of fun," she added.

Seville and her class mates weren't the only ones having a good time.

Third-grade teacher Linda Williams came dressed as Mrs. Potts from the Disney movie "Beauty and the Beast." She said she chose the outfit because of her affinity for hot tea.

"This is the best day of the whole year. It beats out your birthday and it's fun to pretend to be someone else. The kids are so excited and we always have such a great time doing it," Williams said.

This was Williams' 15th parade and sadly it will also be the last one for her and the rest of the school's students and staff.

The school is scheduled to close next year.

"It's sad but it's time. We've been expecting it because the classes-our school- has gotten smaller and smaller and we knew it was coming but it's still hard to hear that it's going to happen. These guys will shift over the Patrick Henry but all the teachers will be scattered over," Williams said.

The Pennsylvania native has nearly three decades of teaching experience and said she plans to continue.

School principal Dolly Crooks said although they would love for the school to remain open, there is a bright-side to the closure as well as an opportunity for the children to learn from it.

"Of course there's a sadness to it but also a realization that we want the children to experience. In life nothing stays the same and when we close that door ,we know new opportunities will present themselves and it's time to get on. Yes there is regret, but there's also a sense of excitement to think that next year all of us will be in different places."

After winding around the parade route, the small Army of alligators, cowboys, robots, pirates and princesses trekked back into the school amid cheers from parents and staff frantically snapping photos of the very last book character parade.

The Mark Twain Elementary School is scheduled to permanently close its doors in June as a part of ongoing transformation efforts.

The vacant space will be used to help accommodate the influx of high school students coming from Mannheim.

Crooks said the school plans to have a farewell celebration for students, facility and alumni at the end of the school year