Lookout! It's A Giant Bumble Bee!

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Actually it's giant Baby bumble bee…the harmless sort even if it is 30 feet long and 12 feet wide. This bee is a balloon, the true-to-life representation of a creative idea that sprang from the mind of Taylor Rainey. She is a 10 year old, 5th grade student at Burton International School and one of the winners in the annual Skillman Foundation Float and Balloon Contest for the City's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Taylor has a friend named Bea and she remembered a 'bee' song she sang at Day Camp last year, so when her class was asked to create a float or a balloon for the parade, her experiences took over. She drew a bee. Her teacher, Janice Price turned in Taylor's drawing with about 25 other creations from other Burton students and the next thing Taylor knew, her idea, 'Bringing Home A Baby Bumble Bee' balloon had won that part of the competition over the other 10,000 students who did exactly the same thing. Taylor and her family will be treated to a night in a downtown Detroit hotel, tickets to a local event, a gift basket and of course, Taylor gets to ride in a convertible in the Thanksgiving Day Parade. But she won't be the only DPS representative. The Drumline, Let Cadets and cheerleaders from the Catherine C. Blackwell Institute will also march in the Parade.