Glen Ellyn's youngest students now have a mascot to call their own.

Glen Ellyn School District 41 held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, Aug. 21, at Forest Glen Elementary School to officially unveil D41 First Stop Preschool as the program's new name and introduce Piper the Prairie Dog as its mascot. The 10 a.m. event, which included a meet-and-greet before the ribbon cutting, coincided with the first day of kindergarten across the district.

The name stuck. Students helped choose it.

The branding effort grew out of District 41's Strategic Plan Priority Goal 3, which focused on raising awareness of the preschool program. Executive director of student services Molly Victor presented the initiative to the Board of Education at its May 18 meeting, telling board members that the Early Childhood team had been developing a name, logo and mascot. At that point, students were set to help select the mascot's name.

The district celebrated the final result on its official X account Friday, calling the event a special day and thanking families who attended. Multiple school accounts across the district, including Lincoln Elementary and Ben Franklin Elementary, amplified the announcement.

D41 First Stop Preschool is a play-based, inclusive program for children ages 3 to 5, according to a district enrollment notice. It supports early literacy, math, language and social-emotional development. Free preschool is available for qualifying families based on income and other factors, and enrollment is open year-round.

The D41 Board of Education holds a special retreat Saturday, Aug. 29, at 9 a.m. at the Central Services Office. The next regular board meeting is Monday, Sept. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at Hadley Jr. High School, 240 Hawthorne Blvd.