Join the Holiday P.A.C.
June C. Green-Rivers, Ph.D.
Principal Pasteur Elementary School

Five hundred and sixty-six parents and students joined the Holiday PAC at Pasteur Elementary School on Thursday, December 7, 2000 from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. PAC (Pasteur Academic Carnival) is an annual event. It allows students to show their parents through games, the various mathematics, reading, science, social studies, writing skills and concepts that they are expected to master. This event, with ninety-nine percent staff participation, created a carnival-like atmosphere throughout the building. Using science boards, staff designed all of the games for students in pre-kindergarten through grade six. In the gym, games, such as M &M graph, Don't Sink the Boat, Double Digit, Pit Stop Prediction, Fingerprint Study, Aim for the Target, Counting Game, School of Fish, Guess That Stage, Magnet Attraction and more were played. After the students completed a game, they were given a coupon, which was later redeemed for exciting prizes.

Throughout the building, decorated with over six hundred balloons and twenty-four suspended banners (four to twelve foot long), representing Visteon, VANN, DAPCEP and the DPS seal, numerous activities supported the mathematics and science focus. Pasteur students showed parents and students how to play Academic Games. Home Depot provided kits for students to construct racing cars. Mrs. Ruby Holloway, an employee of Home Depot and Pasteur parent, assisted the students. In Pasteur's 'state of the art' library media centers, Mumford High School Technology Club and teacher, Mrs. Claudia Burton, showed parents how to 'surf the Internet' to find information about science fair topics.

This year, the Visteon African-American Network (VANN) of Visteon Corporation partnered with Pasteur to host this event. Forty Visteon employees, including engineers, human resources, finance, material planning and logistics, and marketing professionals, participated in this event. They interacted extensively with the students, parents, and staff by assisting with the games. In one classroom, Visteon, the second largest producer/suppliers of automotive parts in the world, provided parts of cars such as plenum air induction systems, vehicle engine starters, etc., for students to disassemble, examine and reassemble. Visteon also enlisted participation from their Ameritech support staff, Mr. Ken Mosely, also a Pasteur parent. Ameritech provided telephones for students to disassemble/reassemble to learn 'basic' engineering concepts. Visteon's Rawsonville Plant Manager, Mr. Louis Whitlock, presented $50,000 worth of computers to Pasteur. Two of the computers were raffled to eligible students. Mrs. Nancy Varner, Director of the Office of Mathematics Education for the Detroit Public Schools, was present for the presentation. The Visteon employees expected the evening to be long and tedious, but they were so excited and stimulated by working with parents and their children that 8:00 p.m. came quickly. VANN representatives also commented on their unusual, yet pleasurable, opportunity to serve as role models for the students and community. As a direct result of the Visteon-VANN/Pasteur partnership, members of VANN have expressed an interest in volunteering at Pasteur to utilize their professional skills with the students and staff.
Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) was present to inform parents about its' initiatives. Visteon has funded ($500,000) the kindergarten and first grade pre-engineering 'pilot' through its "See the Possibilities Fund." Pasteur is one of the pilot schools. Seven Pasteur students participate in the Little Engineers that Could, which engages these "little students" in mathematics and science concepts, on Saturdays.

Numerous other activities included a Book Fair, organized by the MSU Interns, the Mobile Dentist and a Pasteur Alumni Association booth. A video about Visteon and DAPCEP was shown to parents and students in the auditorium. Also, Smiley the Clown provided awesome entertainment throughout the evening. Mrs. Barbara Watts, the Head Start teacher distributed R.E.A.D.Y. Kits to parents with preschoolers. Also, Mrs. Gladys Smith, second grade teacher, provided a mini-workshop on the Michigan Literacy Progress Profile.

Free hot dogs, pop and potato chips served in the Food Court supported the carnival theme. Ice cream was sold from an ice cream cart. Popcorn and cotton candy were also available.

Mumford R.O.T.C. students served as hall monitors. The carnival committee included Mrs. Aleta Scales, Ms. Teresa Smith, Mrs. Nina Harris, Ms. Alean Nixon and Mrs. Clararetha Spencers.

Dr. June C. Rivers, principal, and Mrs. Gale Lewis, assistant principal, were seen having fun, masquerading as clowns.