On a chilly March Monday, lunch at Dawson-Bryant Head Start is about much more than pizza and peaches. In fact, the main course is education with a heaping helping of fun.

For the 20 students in Tricia Kilgore’s classroom, the entire day is about lessons and learning. Lunch isn’t served until hands are washed. Story time doesn’t start until tables are cleaned and teeth are brushed.

“We learn a lot,” 5-year-old Autumn Rice says after lunch as she takes a break from bouncing around the outdoor playground. “We learn our ABC’s and lots of stuff.” Laughter bounces freely around the brightly colored room that features pet fish, art on display and countless other educational tools stuck in every nook and cranny. Fun and friendship may be the order of the day but not at the cost of table manners and cleanliness.

“We have a real great group of kids,” Kilgore said. “I feel our primary goal is pre-kindergarten education. We get lots of feedback from Dawson-Bryant Elementary saying that they can see the difference in the kids.”

For the youth, the center is as about both companionship and class work.

“I like to learn. I like to learn math and art,” Evan Holmes says matter-of-factly. “Everybody is my friend in class.”

Lessons are missed in with fun so that most times the students don’t seem to notice the difference.

“What is rule No. 3?” Tricia asks.

“To share,” the group says in perfect unison.

“Do we share our markers?” the teacher asks.

“Yes,” comes the reply.

“Do we share our toothbrushes?” Tricia asks.

“No,” the group responds in a deeper baritone to further emphasize that forbidden practice.

And on and on it goes — hour after hour, day after day. The students jump at each new experience and race to find out what adventures await them in the day. Though soft-spoken, Autumn may sum the class up for all her friends.

“It’s just fun,” she said.

With that, she is off to find more fun, more learning.