The 2012 Carnival season did not exclude the children of Headstart Pre-School, who, during a school-based event, dubbed Carnival Fun Day, gained an appreciation for the various elements that comprise Vincy Mas.{{more}}

On July 5, parent and soca artiste Rondy “Luta” McIntosh entertained the students with soca versions of popular children songs like “There’s A Brown Girl in the Ring” and had them moving to rhythmic chants of “Hands up, out, in, down.”

Djembe drummer Victor Byron was another entertainer, who was quite popular with the two to three-year-old group members. Some of them even tested their skills on the drum. Sion Hill Euphonium’s Jason James added to the authenticity of the carnival fun with music from his tenor pan, while parent and keyboardist Hernus Nelson held his own on the keyboard.

Face painting was another aspect of fun that was provided to the children by parent and face painting artist Felicia Gill Neverson. At the end of the celebrations, the children expelled their energy in a bouncing castle provided by Jenor’s.

Leading up to their Carnival Fun Day, the Headstart students visited the SVG Players International Mas Band to understand what it took to produce the beautiful costumes that they examined. This exposure was sufficient to allow these pre-schoolers to decorate their own colourful masks and to create their own costumes from newspapers on July 5.

According to the students, teachers, parent volunteers, performers and Alfonso Howard, who drove the youngsters to the mas tent, the Carnival activities held by Headstart Pre-School were a huge success, as evidenced by the children’s energy and smiles.