On Friday, March 6, the Future Educators of America took the pajama-clad attendees of their dual-annual Kids’ Night on a safari adventure.

In the spring and fall, FEA holds a Kids’ Night open to all children of the community between ages four and eight. Parents are able to leave their children to a night full of fun, activities and crafts all centered around one theme. The safari theme for this Kids’ Night entailed paper bag and paper plate lions and giraffes, as well as safari outfits including hats, vests and binoculars.

“I liked seeing the kids interacting with each other,” senior Conner Berdine said. “It was a great time for the teachers, as in us, to connect and spend time with the kids.”

FEA is centered around these types of experiences, which give members insight and appreciation into teaching and child care, specifically in the public school system.

“I wanted to learn more about what it means to be a teacher,” senior Katarina Bourova said. “This was a perfect opportunity to get a chance to get an inside look of the job and ask any questions I had.”

Not only do FEA members run Kids’ Night, they also are given the opportunity to shadow teachers three times a year, once on the elementary, middle and high school level.

“I want to be a second grade teacher, so getting to see exactly what a second grade teacher does, and working with the children of that age is helpful,” senior Amber Courtney said.

Members are assigned a teacher to follow around all day, ask any questions they may have about the teaching profession and truly understand the day-to-day work and life lessons that go into being a teacher.

“I have learned that there are many different approaches to teaching and that one way might not work for all children, and that it must be modified accordingly,” Bourova said.

Members have already completed their elementary and middle school shadow days, and only have their high school day left for the spring. However, this does not mean that their experiences and knowledge with the club will end. Several additional meetings will be held before the year closes out.

“[The goal] is mainly to help expand the ways of education,” Bourova said. “And to help educate individuals to grow to become better teachers.

Students may apply to join the club at the beginning of next year. Applications are available online and in the library.