School bells will soon be ringing, and when they do, Anne Preston McRae has made sure Meridian Public School Pre-K students are prepared.

McRae, a rising senior at Lamar School, hosted a “Get Ready 4 School Pack” pick up party at Poplar Springs Elementary on Monday.

Students received goodie bags filled with materials to develop fine motor skills, like crayons, pencils, play-doh, a shoe lacing activity, a pasta necklace kit and a “Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes” book.

McRae also included three sets of flash cards, coloring sheets, personalized name practice sheets (laminated with a dry erase marker), and a calendar with daily activities and instructions on how to use the items.

To top it off, she added a list of activities for children at the Meridian Lauderdale County Public Library, the Mississippi Children’s Museum-Meridian, and the Mississippi Arts+ Entertainment Experience.

Working with Tracy Scott, MPSD Pre-K Coordinator, McRae created the bags as a part of her Girl Scout Gold Project.

“I had some very influential teachers while I was a student at Poplar Springs Elementary who sparked my interest in education,” McRae said. “I think my project honors them as well as my grandmother, Carol Wicker, who has a Measuring Garden built at Poplar Springs in her honor.”

Scott said the materials will benefit the young learners.

“Data shows that of children who meet the kindergarten readiness benchmark, 85% will pass the third grade reading test,” Scott said. “This event really helped to promote our MPSD Pre-K program. We are so appreciative when we have community support and partnerships.”

McRae credited the community for supporting the project.

“I appreciate members of our community who have supported me in this endeavor. I received a significant donation from the Meridian Rotary Club,” she added. “The Meridian Junior Auxiliary ordered the books at the educational rate for me through their Reading Is Fundamental program. The Meridian Arts Council donated the crayons, and Meridian Community College donated the pencils. The Dusty Social Service Club collected 400 cans of play-doh. I’m so happy to see our community come together to support this project.”

McRae is a Juliette Scout, which means she works independently. However, she says she chose the Girl Scouts organization because it provides a strong framework and accountability for undertaking leadership projects. She will submit her project summary for approval in pursuit of the Gold Star Award, which is the equivalent of an Eagle Scout.

Parents needing information about openings in the district’s Pre-K program can contact Tracy Scott at 601.484.5557.