Kindergartners at Caswell Elementary School are not likely to forget St. Patrick's Day. A week of activities commemorating Irish folklore and hunting down a leprechaun ended with a dramatic presentation in which they met a grand leprechaun.

Students from five classrooms spent several days reading about leprechauns and collecting riddles for clues as to his whereabouts on campus. They also spent time searching for elusive gold, even tricked by fool's gold. They believed that if they could find the mysterious man that he would share his riches.

On Thursday morning students found a track of broccoli that led to Room 6, which was bathed in green light and vibrating with lively Celtic music. Students opened the door and entered the room through a cascading curtain of bubbles from a bubble-making machine. Cutouts of shamrocks were scattered on the floor. At the end of the room was a mock village, complete with boulders made of brown butcher paper framing a small hut. A box of Lucky Charms cereal and a pot of gold on a table were dead giveaways as to the occupant.

A few brave students tugged on the drawbridge door and out popped a bearded leprechaun played by Eduardo Davila, a counselor at the school, who startled them. Encouraged by their teachers, the students moved closer to the short mischievous man who dispensed gold-foiled coins filled with milk chocolate.

"The kids are so excited to be here," said Mayte Alvarez, an employee who helped set up the festive event.