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Good Shepherd Catholic School kindergarten class wedding tradition

Earl Hopkins | Evansville Courier & Press

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Good Shepherd Catholic School kindergarten students came dressed in suits, bridal dresses and wedding veils Friday to celebrate the traditional ritual of matrimonial union — alphabet style.

To underline the relationship between "Q" and "U," Good Shepherd teachers hosted the annual wedding event to honor the marriage between the two letters. Each student recited their vowels and screamed "I do" to officially form their marital bond.

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"You are now 'QU,'" Good Shepherd teachers Amy Hart and Debbie Achilles said.

Achilles, in her 17th year at the school, said the event is a tradition that sticks in the minds of students long after they participate in the celebration.

"You can ask the eighth graders 'til this day, and they can tell you who they married," Achilles said. "They remember the song we played and that 'Q' goes with 'U' on every word."

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Since then, the event has grown from the school's classrooms to a gym full of parents, grandparents and Good Shepherd alumni.

"I thought it turned out so wonderful," parent Jocilyn Shoemaker said. "Everything they do here is awesome, but I feel like this was even more than I expected."

Shoemaker's daughter Layla Manion, who participated in Friday's event, said she enjoyed the event, especially when her classmates broke out to do the chicken dance.

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After the wedding, teachers directed the students and parents back to their classrooms, where they held a reception with refreshments, cupcakes and other snacks.

It's more than just the fun of the wedding, Achilles said. The lesson and celebration is a week-long process.

At the beginning of the week, each student learns about the formation of the two letters. Teachers then organize a bridal shower, where all the students bring in a gift that starts with "Q" or "U." And once every couple is listed, they practice the wedding two-to-three times before the day of the ceremony.

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Outside the relationship between the two letters, Achilles said the event also teaches them other valuable lessons.

"These students will look forward to it every year," she said. "So that's the fun of it, that you can have fun while learning. That's the whole idea of it."

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