MARTINS FERRY — Anna Marie Ayers Elementary School kicked off summer Thursday as students celebrated the last day of the school year with field day activities.

The school had its annual end-of-year celebration, and students got to participate in games and play on inflatables. The activities involved bounce houses, inflatable slides and obstacle courses, games set up by teachers, a teacher pie in the face, a third and fourth grade kickball championship and movies. It also featured a fourth grade clap down, which saw all students and staff from kindergarten through third grade line up in the halls of the elementary school, clapping as fourth grade students made their way through. The purpose of this was to congratulate the fourth-graders on taking their next step to the middle school building.

Although the field day is usually held outdoors, the students made the most of the day indoors due to cool, damp weather conditions.

Principal Nick Stankovich described it as a fun day to end the year for the students.

“It’s just a great way to wrap up the year, instead of coming and doing the same old, same old teaching and learning,” he said. “It’s just a change of pace. Everything’s wrapped up. It’s a great way to send the kids off to summer break. Just let them enjoy a day where all they’re worried about is coming here and having fun with their friends.”

Stankovich said the school year went well with an excellent group of students and staff.

“It was a quick year, but I thought it was a tremendous group of students,” he said. “I wish our fourth-graders the best heading over to the middle school and for the rest of them, look forward to seeing them again in August and hope that they have a great summer.”

Stankovich hopes the students built relationships with other students and teachers and created lasting memories at the school, especially the fourth-graders who will be transitioning as everyone finishes another school year.

He added that he wants the students to have fun with their friends this summer by going to the pool or park and hanging out with each other until next school year. Martins Ferry’s city pool is scheduled to open for the season on Tuesday.

“I think our latest memories are always our freshest ones in our minds. That’s the reason we do it on the last day, because that’s the last time we have with them for the summer, the last thing we do …,” he said. “It’s a good way to wrap up the year and a good way to start summer.”