A little boy dressed in dark slacks, a blue-striped shirt and a clip-on tie sauntered into Christi Bayer's kindergarten room. A collection of "oohs," and "aahs," rose from the group of mothers gathered there.

The boy stood proudly, hands in pockets, hair slicked into a neat side-part. In his mouth was a wad of gum to, "keep my breath smelling good."

"He looks like my dad," another little boy said.

Bayer hunched over little heads, trying to bobby-pin black and white graduation caps on. By the door, a girl in a yellow outfit stood by a mirror, adjusting her cap and smiling at herself.

A mother followed her daughter around the room, trying to fix a dress bow, before the girl insisted she stop. Nearby, a boy reminded a friend to have a cap put on.

"They have to put a clothespin in your hair," he said.

The gentle tinkling of chimes stopped everyone in the room and the students gathered around Bayer for last-minute fixes to hats, dresses and ties. It was almost time.

In the gym, parents fiddled with video cameras and camera flashes. Brothers and sisters craned their heads toward the gym's double doors.

"Pomp and Circumstance" began to play and one by one, the students filed into the gym. Once everyone found his or her spot on the risers, Bayer stepped up to the microphone.

"Foremost, we want to thank all of you for blessing us with your children," she said. "And now it's time to graduate your children from kindergarten."

It's a tradition at Sagewood Elementary to celebrate the end of a kindergartener's school year with a graduation ceremony. Pint-sized caps are bobby-pinned to each and every head. Balloons decorate rooms. Memory books are handed out.

"It's just a really important time in a child's life," Bayer said. "It's hard for parents to let go."

Anton Waddle, 7, said he liked kindergarten.

"It's fun," he said, in between bits of his sandwich. "We learned about frogs, flowers."

And though the kindergarteners are ready to become first-graders, some parents found themselves clutching to the memories made this year.

"I'm kind of sad," said Dee Clark, as she sat with her son Braden. "That's my baby. I'm happy though. He's growing up."

Reach education reporter Jasa Santos at (307) 266-0593 or at jasa.santos@trib.com. Read her education blog at tribtown.trib.com/JasaSantos/blog.