Special Kindergarten Tradition Nearing Its Knits End

Often without even realizing it each day, kindergarten staff members do something a little extra special to give their five- or six-year-olds an extra warm feeling inside. Perhaps it’s tying a struggling student’s shoes. Or wiping away tears that come with hurt feelings. Or even a simple smile and wave down the hallway.

Then there’s Seth Lewelling Elementary’s Lynda Delk. For nearly two decades, the kindergarten paraeducator has been giving her school’s youngest learners a special, handmade gift that also gives them an extra warm feeling on the outside.

“I love to crochet and started crocheting little scarves years ago,” explains Delk. “And since I work each day with kindergartners, I decided about 20 years ago to make one for each of the kids in the classroom I work with.”

Every school year, the tenderhearted tradition continues right around the last day before Winter Break. That’s when Delk lines up rows of her colorfully creative crochetwork on a classroom countertop and tells unsuspecting students to each choose their favorite.

“Those are really for us?” squeals five-year-old Xoe Guerrero, who tries to contain her excitement as she gives Delk a big hug. “Mine has my favorite colors and is sparkly.”

“I’ve never had a scarf before!” exclaims classmate Harpper Basteel.  “I can wear it when it’s snowing so my neck can stay warm!”

The annual gift giving is just as exciting for Delk, who says she usually starts her project in early September. “I just start when I think about it,” she puts simply. “I just sit and crochet while I watch TV, which is better than eating!” she laughs.

The laughter among kindergarten students this year is double than usual, since Delk decided to hand-stitch 55 different colored scarves throughout the fall and winter-- enough for every kindergartner in the school.

“This is the first year I’ve done both classrooms,” she says with a smile.  “Since it’s my last year, I thought, ‘Oh why not?  I’ll do them for everybody!’”

Yes, Delk is retiring at the end of this school year, and kindergarten teacher Lisa Newell is trying not to think about losing her close-knit paraeducator next year.

“It has been a wonderful partnership for so many years,” says Newell. “She’s just so very kind and loving with the kids and really helps them every year. It’s just been a blessing to work with her and watch her give each of them something nice and cozy warm.”

And thanks to Lynda Delk’s heartfelt handiwork, Seth Lewelling students will have warm memories of kindergarten for many years to come.