About 65 kids raced onto the front lawn of Pine Bluff High School on Saturday afternoon, trying to gather as many candy-filled plastic eggs as possible.
A.J. Surratt, 9, along with his younger brother, Ayten, 3, were part of the group of pre-school and elementary-age kids who took part in the annual Girls State and Boys State students' Easter Egg Hunt.
A.J., who is aware of the limitations covid-19 has presented, said, "It's a really fun day," adding that he "really appreciated the work the school" put into the festivities.
Reginald Wilson, assistant high school principal, said he was touched by A.J.'s comments.
A.J. managed to gather a couple dozen eggs before they were all claimed.
As Ila Dorn started to leave the event, she said it was fun for her granddaughter, Kennedy, 6.
"It was a nice change," said Dorn, who added that she was pleased the egg hunt was held this year.
Although it's an annual event at the high school, last year's Easter Egg Hunt was canceled due to the pandemic, Wilson said.
Adult volunteers Carman Wilson, a physical science teacher, and Michaela Howard, an English teacher, said they felt the event was "a positive."
"This is great," Carman Wilson said, with Howard adding, "This makes things seem a little more normal."
Semiya Hampton, a 12th grade Girls State student, said volunteerism is important to the organization and that "We wanted to make the kids laugh."
There was plenty of laughter and giggles Saturday afternoon as kids grabbed every egg they could get their hands on.
About 2,000 eggs disappeared within 10 minutes.
SERVING COMMUNITY
"This is a community service project done by members of the Boys and Girls State," Wilson said.
Unlike many other social activities that were canceled due to the covid-19 pandemic, Wilson said: "We decided to do it anyway because we are so limited on the activities we can do, but this is outdoors. Of course, we required masks and asked participants to socially distance."
About 15 high school students, working in between classes, sports and extracurricular activities, spent as many as eight hours filling eggs.
Walmart donated $100 and the Pine Bluff School District PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) donated an additional $100 so the students could purchase candy for the hunt, Wilson said.
Normally they have more than 300 kids attending.
"Typically, the response [to the Easter egg hunt] is great, but this isn't a typical year. Most of our communication is virtual, and communication is a struggle," Wilson said.
Organizers planned for the usual 300 or so, but Wilson said he was happy with Saturday's numbers.
BOYS AND GIRLS STATE
Wilson described both the girls' and boys' programs as requiring student planning, teaching leadership and "giving back to the community."
The program also strives to inspire honesty and upstanding character, cooperation and community participation, and it provides scholarship opportunities for students, he said.
Ashton Laurent, a senior, said the organization "encourages students to volunteer," and it also encourages community involvement and fosters pride in the high school.
According to its website, Arkansas Boys State is an immersive American Legion-based program in civics education designed for high school students.
Since 1940, Boys State, a weeklong camp usually held around the Memorial Day weekend, "has transformed the lives of young men throughout our state and beyond."
One of the more recognizable Boys State members is Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States.
Clinton has been quoted as saying that "I was never quite the same after I went to Boys State and Boys Nation, after I realized what government was, what its role in our life was, what citizens were supposed to do to make it work. I never took it for granted again."
The American Legion Auxiliary, the female equivalent of the all-male adult American Legion, sponsors a similar program, Arkansas Girls State.
Its website said, "Since 1942, the Arkansas Girls State program has been working to teach future generations of Arkansas citizens to be actively involved in their communities and government at every level."