While most people are scrounging to find any remaining PTO after the holidays, Bandit the Raccoon has been racking up miles across the globe—with even more adventures on the way. In just one semester of school, the stuffed animal has visited over five states and three countries, including London and Mexico. Bandit is the official mascot of Classroom 104 in the Early Learning School (ELS), where children can sign up to check him out. Bandit joins families for all sorts of experiences—playing with cousins, having dinner with grandparents, or traveling on vacation. 

“He’s been our way of allowing the children to share a piece of their school life with the outside world, as these parts often become separated,” says Ben Kellogg, an ELS Lead Teacher of four years. Since Bandit joined the classroom this past summer, his popularity has skyrocketed. “We had to purchase a second Bandit look-alike to accommodate the high demand,” Ben shares. When families reserve Bandit, they are given special kits containing markers, papers, and an instruction sheet. The kits encourage families to take photos of Bandit in front of landmarks, cool artifacts, or even on airplanes. “Bandit represents who these kids are at school,” Ben explains. “A huge part of a young child’s identity in early education is their classroom, fellow students, and teachers. Now, ELS students can share this big part of their life with the rest of the world.” 

Bandit’s Big Adventures Banner

An ELS student took Bandit the raccoon on a weekend trip to Arizona for fun and adventure.

Upon returning from trips, children get to stand in front of the class and share their photos and stories, showcasing Bandit’s latest adventures. Ben and his co-Lead Alexandra Carranza have been compiling these travel stories into a ‘Bandit yearbook,’ which children often ask for when they’re feeling upset or seeking emotional comfort. “Seeing how excited the children are when they leave with Bandit—and their parents’ enthusiasm—is the most rewarding part,” Ben adds. 

“The idea for Bandit started when I had to leave for Mexico on a personal emergency,” shares Alexandra Carranza, co-teacher alongside Ben. “Taking Bandit with me made the situation easier, and my family fell in love with him, calling him ‘Bandido.’” “We’ve seen a growth in home-school connections,” Alexandra continues. “Children are eager to take Bandit home and have become more empathetic by sharing him with each other.” Prior to teaching, Ben toured with his punk rock band until it disbanded in 2008. He has not looked back since, embarking on what he describes as a profoundly rewarding teaching journey. “To create a child’s education alongside them is the most amazing thing you can do,” he says. “You make something out of nothing.” This philosophy is embedded into our ELS’s approach to education. Teachers follow each child’s interests, building classroom routines and curricula based on what excites them.

Bandit’s popularity grew organically through the children’s response. “When a child gets to believe in all these enjoyable and magical things, it plants seeds of joy and wonder,” Ben adds. Through Bandit’s adventures, the spirit of what ELS teaches—connection, creativity, and exploration—extends beyond the classroom into the world for others to see. 

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