ES Read-a-Thon Creates a Carnival to Encourage Reading
Read-a-Thon festivities kicked off on February 26 with the ninth annual Opening Assembly. Students arrived dressed as their favorite book characters, and the excitement in the auditorium was palpable. The ES Read-a-Thon band performed this year’s song, an original piece by ES Chaplain Mr. Adams! Then, a carnival-themed skit composed by Ms. Swift – featuring Mr. Davis, Ms. Samson, and Mr. Moore – set the stage for this year’s event. After learning of the minute goals set for their grade levels, students began cheering in favor of their class winning the grade-level competition. These cheers quickly morphed into synchronized cries of “Pie them in the face!” upon revealing the schoolwide goal: students would need to turn in 1,168 reading logs to earn the opportunity to pie the principal and assistant principals at the closing assembly. But could they do it? Their enthusiasm was evidence of their confidence in meeting this lofty goal.
Before this kick-off assembly, the ES teachers worked diligently to transform the elementary school hallways. Game & ticket booths in the basement led to first-graders interactive roller coaster experience, while on the second floor, students journeyed through the Texas State Fair and a pie-eating extravaganza. The oldest students decked out the third-floor space with a circus twist on our carnival theme, featuring clown town and house-team train cars, a la Dumbo.
The next three weeks found students with their noses buried in books as they tried to meet their personal reading goals. Teachers set aside time in class, parents stocked backpacks with books, and students discovered new titles and authors to love. Students also had the opportunity to record and share video book reviews in hopes of having their reviews shared at the closing assembly.
Friday, March 15, brought with it the annual Pajama & Pancake Day as well as a new Read-a-Thon event: Reading Day! Students rolled up to school in their coziest jammies to enjoy a day full of reading activities in class. Classes buddied up for cross-grade-level reading time, toted books to fun locations around campus, and had guest readers share throughout the day. And with that, the three-week Read-a-Thon came to a close. But a few questions lingered: Which students met their reading goals? Which class read the most minutes? Who would be the librarian for the day? And – the biggest question on everyone’s mind – would pie be thrown at the closing assembly?
The answers came a few days later as students again filled the auditorium. This year’s music video was revealed and then the fun part: prizes! First up was the hallway decorating winner, 3rd grade, and their Texas State Fair; winning book review videos were showcased throughout the assembly. Classes with the highest average minutes were revealed (KC, 1C, 2C, 3C, 4D, and 5C) and will enjoy pizza or ice cream later this month. Another hallmark of our Read-a-Thon festivities is the Principal, Assistant Principal (two winners), and Librarian for a Day. Those names were drawn from the box of Level 3 prize winners and will replace current leadership on April 23.
But one thing lingered on everyone’s mind: what about the pie?
It turns out that the students’ confidence at the opening assembly was a true reflection of what they would accomplish. They far exceeded the goal of 1,168 reading logs, turning in 1,301 logs (out of a possible 1,380). Names were again drawn, the pie was thrown, and the ES said farewell to another wildly successful Read-a-Thon.
Thank you to the PTO for all of their support behind the scenes and to the teacher committee, who worked tirelessly to plan all of the details of this hallmark ES event.