SCRANTON – Dressed in colorful costumes and proudly pulling carefully created floats, the youngest students at All Saints Academy took center stage during a special event to mark Catholic Schools Week 2025.
On Jan. 29, pre-K and kindergarten students at the Scranton-based elementary school paraded around their gym, participating in a ‘furry friends’ parade.
“Pre-school and kindergarten students had the opportunity to build a float for one of their stuffed animals, their furry friends,” principal Brittany Haynos-Krupski explained. “You saw Ghostbuster floats, birthday floats, you saw Irish step dancing floats, Mario, every possibility.”
In addition to the floats, many of the students dressed up to match the theme of their float – filling the gym with little firefighters, princesses, and many other characters.
“I heard so many parents and teachers say it was such a great morning, just to see the excitement in the students’ eyes was priceless,” Haynos-Krupski said.
The event captured the essence of Catholic schools as more than just places of learning, but as close-knit families where every student, no matter their age, is celebrated.
The rest of the student body filled the gymnasium bleachers and loudly cheered as each student and float took their turn in the spotlight.
“When you walk into our building, you feel that sense of family. I have heard from parents, I’ve heard it from people touring our school, I’ve heard faculty and staff. It is that idea of community,” Haynos-Krupski added.
All Saints Academy administrators decided to bring back the ‘furry friends’ parade during Catholic Schools Week this year for the first time since 2020.
Teachers say the event – and all the activities held during Catholic Schools Week 2025 – celebrate the heart of what Catholic schools are all about.
“In a Catholic school, you have the opportunity to teach a child’s spirit as well as their academics,” Amanda Valletta said. “We teach the students to grow in their faith, to become leaders, and that helps them in the real world when they graduate.”
As the parade wrapped up, many of the pre-K and kindergarten students were beaming with pride as their parents and grandparents snapped pictures on their cell phones. For many, it will be a day they remember, and a reminder of the deep sense of love and support that makes All Saints Academy a true family.