By the time children in Lakewood Ranch High School’s voluntary pre-kindergarten program are ready to graduate, they’ve mastered everything from colors and shapes to Spanish and cooking.

But the program, called Mini Mustangs, isn’t just good for the children. It’s a great experience for the students enrolled in the school’s Early Childhood Education Program, providing them with hands-on experience caring for pre-kindergarten students.

However, student enrollment is down, and Mini Mustangs is seeking to recruit about nine more children into its free program, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday.

“The kids get a lot of one-on-one time with a lot of teachers,” Mini Mustangs intern Jessica Hagood said. “It’s not just about baby-sitting the kids like a regular pre-kindergarten (class). The kids are here solely to learn.”

Parents wishing to enroll their 4-year-old in Mini Mustangs must sign up at the school district’s Parent Information Center.

For more information about Mini Mustangs, call Dru Wallace at (941) 727-6100, Ext. 2131.

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