A New Adventure

Marissa Espino

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in an occasional series following the

joys and discoveries of a young family’s first child as she begins

kindergarten.

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The bounce in Blake Wetzel’s step Tuesday morning

showed her excitement as she walked to kindergarten for the first time.

Carrying her school bag, a name tag hanging from her suntanned neck,

5-year-old Blake and her parents, Dana and Tim, walked briskly to the new

Huntington Seacliff Elementary School as a family.

“We don’t want to get in trouble on the first day of school,” said Dana,

with Tim and Blake in tow for the half-mile walk. Cooper, Blake’s

3-year-old brother, was at home with a baby-sitter.

Blake’s proud parents, with camera in hand to record each moment, were

invited to sit in Blake’s classroom for the first hour of school. They

watched as their first child, her blond hair tied with a blue ribbon that

matched her metallic blue fingernail polish, settled in comfortably with

a group of 17 other kindergartners while sounding out the alphabet and

listening to a story.

“I had a great time in school as a kid,” said Tim, 38. “It’s a monumental

time to see your kid ready to start school. It’s kind of sad, too,

because in a blink of an eye she will be in junior high.”

Tuesday morning’s visit to the first school to be built in Huntington

Beach in 25 years also gave Dana and Tim a chance to see Blake’s new

teacher, Laura Darm, in action. They were pleased with what they saw.

“We were thrilled to meet the teacher. She seemed very nurturing and

energetic,” Dana, 33, said. “She seemed to put the kids at ease right

away.”

Blake was happy, too.

“I think she’s a nice teacher,” she said. “I like her.”

Having quality teachers for their children is key for the Wetzels.

“What really matters are the teachers,” said Dana, who is a homemaker and

PTA member. “Having a beautiful facility is an added bonus. The teachers

make it what it is.”

Before Blake’s class started, Dana and Tim talked about her education.

Blake attended First Christian Early Childhood Development Center in

Huntington Beach for three years, but the Wetzels decided the public

school system was their first choice.

“My husband and I both went to public schools and here they were,

building this state-of-the-art facility, so fortunately we had a choice,”

Dana said. “We kind of had a feeling that the public schools had more to

offer than private schools do.”

Tim, who works in industrial real estate, said he and his wife would do

everything they can for Blake.

“We are going to be real involved in just supporting her,” Tim said. “If

the parents feel education is important, then the kids will feel it’s

important.”

Blake’s father, who is planning to join the Indian Princesses with Blake

this year, said he was looking forward to watching her grow academically.

“I think she’s going to do pretty well,” he said. “I’m excited about when

she’s going to read. Right now I do all the reading. She just listens.”

Dana said she was happy Blake jumped into her first day of school without

hesitation, but was a little sad the moment had finally come.

“She was ready to drop right in and I was thinking, ‘Can’t I have a hug

first?”’ Dana said. “It’s very bittersweet because I’m excited to see her

go off to her real first experience, but it almost makes me think about

where the time has gone. She’s still my baby.”