As one reminisces about days of old, elementary school memories will very frequently come to mind. Southeast Elementary School in downtown Howell is a place where young dreams take hold. Being one of Howell Public Schools oldest elementary educational institutions, it is a foundation for young students eager to learn.

“We have a great staff here at Southeast,” Principal Mr. Robert Starkey says. “The teachers are such helpful instructors.”

Southeast has many ongoing activities to keep the children excited. They range from physical activities to entertainment opportunities to social gatherings. Many of these are planned on by the hard working Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).

“My favorite thing about it was how close they keep everyone together. School wide assemblies, field trips, and field day, things like that. They did a lot to really create friendships with everyone in the school,” senior at Howell and former Southeast student Cal Laituri says.

Just recently, the PTO put on the annual Southeast Fun Run. Around the whole recess field was set up a boundary of cones. Students would race laps around the track, doing different dances and having a blast the whole time. It is a great ways for the children to bond with each other and receive lofty amounts of physical activity.

Coming up soon is a student favorite, the Halloween Parade. Students of all ages and grades dress up in their extravagant Halloween costumes and march up and down around the halls. This adds extra enjoyment to a child’s day that foreshadows the evening to come. What some students like almost even more than dressing up is the free candy that the teachers hand out. These students chow down the candy as fast as the dentists can fill their cavities.

Perhaps the biggest event of the year is the PTO funded Winter Fest. During the school day, many classrooms participate in making crafts that decorate the hallways. Students have also put in many determined hours of practicing music for a singing performance to be harmonized to the parents that night. Following the melodic performance, each class brings out their own gift basket that all the students of that class put together. Parents bid on the container they want most and at the end of the night they are given to the winning recipients. This is the biggest fiscal income opportunity of the year for the PTO and this night funds many activities that will be created in the future.

“I would have to say my favorite thing about Southeast was the great teachers and kids. They made you feel so welcome and made every day a new fun experience” former Southeast student and current Howell junior Austen Whalen says.

Principal Robert Starkey is currently at his third year of full time Principal at Southeast after being promoted from his Vice Principal job at Parker Middle School just a few years before.

“Something that I enjoy most about my job here is how everyone is so focused on learning. The whole staff creates an atmosphere where students can get the most achievement possible.” Mr. Starkey says.

To develop today’s children into tomorrow’s adults, an excellent basis is needed. Southeast Elementary School provides a sturdy foundation for students and sets them on the path for success.