Story By Heath Hambrick
October 17, 2025 the students of Fort Payne Pre-K had the opportunity to meet some of the heroes from our community.
Fort Payne Pre-K’s Community Helper Day is a dynamic, hands-on learning experience that directly aligns with the Alabama Standards for Early Learning and Development (ALSDE) the same standards that guide Alabama First Class Pre-K classrooms each day. While it may appear to be simply a fun event, it is actually a thoughtfully planned extension of our curriculum designed to deepen students’ understanding of community roles, citizenship, language development, and social-emotional growth.
In the weeks leading up to this event, students explore the important work of community helpers such as firefighters, police officers, doctors, dentists, and mail carriers. Through engaging read-alouds, vocabulary-building activities, anchor charts, and class discussions, children learn how these individuals keep our community safe, healthy, and thriving. Community Helper Day then brings those lessons to life, allowing students to connect classroom learning to real people, real tools, and real experiences. These meaningful interactions transform abstract concepts into lasting understanding.
This event supports several key Alabama First Class Pre-K standards, including but not limited to: Social Studies: Community Belonging - Understanding roles, rules, and responsibilities within a community, Social and Emotional Development: Building confidence, communication, and respect for others, Language and Literacy: Developing oral language through questioning, listening, and meaningful conversation, Approaches to Learning: Encouraging curiosity, initiative, and engagement through hands-on exploration.
By meeting community helpers face-to-face, our children discover that heroes come in many forms, not just in uniforms. They see courage in firefighters, kindness in nurses, problem-solving in linemen, and service in delivery drivers. For many of our students, this is the first time they have stood beside these helpers, explored their vehicles, or heard personal stories about their work. These are the moments that inspire dreams and shape future aspirations.
This year’s participants include: Fort Payne Fire Department, Fort Payne Police Department, Dekalb County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb Ambulance Service, Fort Payne Improvement Authority, Chisenhall Excavating, UPS,Thrive, G2, Heil, In Bloom Counseling, Fort Payne Pediatrics, Skelton Orthodontics,FPCS Bus Department.
Community Helper Day has become one of Fort Payne Pre-K’s most impactful and anticipated traditions. It fosters gratitude, builds safety awareness, and nurtures real-world understanding in a way no worksheet or digital activity ever could. We are deeply grateful to every department, organization, and business that invests their time and enthusiasm in Fort Payne’s Tiniest Wildcats.
“Community Helper Day brings learning to life for our Pre-K students. The day is filled with a mix of real world discovery and pretend play. It is heart warming to see the pre-k students light up when they meet the heroes in our community and begin imagining themselves in those roles. We appreciate all who help make this event happen,” Fort Payne Pre-K Principal Jackie Jennings.
