Video: First-graders give a ‘Bates Bates’ cheer

While it’s common for an elementary school classroom to learn about a specific college, as a pathway to higher college aspirations, these first-graders at Equitas Academy in Los Angeles have made Bates their own.

Indeed, though Bates was chosen as their classroom college at random, they’ve made the most of the chance acquaintance.

Their teacher, Madelyn Hashemi, created the cheer, which the class sings every week in front of the school. They also spent time early in the year learning about Bates. “My scholars know the mascot is the bobcat and can tell you interesting facts about the animal,” Hashemi says.

“They know that the college is in Maine, diagonally across the U.S. They have seen pictures of the campus, sports and classes from the website. They are beyond thrilled to have had a true connection with the college.”

Equitas Academy is a K–2 charter school in Los Angeles, and this clip is courtesy of Bates parent Joe Pagano P’14, who visited the school while working on a marketing communications project involving several U.S. charters that are associated with Building Excellent Schools. He and his wife, Kathleen O’Brien Pagano ’86, head up Pagano Media.