Forest Lake Elementary School second grader Ella LoMonaco got a vantage point of her school most students don’t typically get, when she served as principal for a day on Dec. 19.

The shadowing opportunity is a coveted raffle prize in the annual PTA fundraiser contest, which raised about $1,400 this year. Ella got to spend the day with Principal Thomas Burke and experienced his day-to-day as the leader of the school. 

As the principal for a day, Ella assisted during student arrival and read the morning announcements. She led the Pledge of Allegiance at the morning program and got to sit alongside Mr. Burke as musicians from the high school performed holiday songs. Ella and a friend of her choice also enjoyed lunch with the principal. Perhaps most exciting was getting her own ID badge.