Readers rewarded

“I Love to Read Month” concluded at TEAM Academy with two events – Family Night held the evening of March 2, and a “wrap-up” assembly held during the school day March 3.

At Family Night, students, former students, family members, and other visitors were welcomed to the school for an evening of fun and community. TEAM Academy's band and choir, led by music teacher Taylor Jones, performed for those gathered and pizza was served. The band, open to grades 5 and 6, performed two songs, “Candy Hearts” and “Chocolate, Chocolate, and More Chocolate.” The choir, open to grades four through six, performed “We've Got Heart” by Teresa and Paul Jennings, “Scoo Be Doo Song” by Susie Davies-Splinter and Phil Splinter, “Bye Bye Blackbird” arranged by W. Jack with music by Ray Henderson, and “Jiggles” by Susie Davies. All musical numbers were chosen to coincide with Valentine's Day themes – sweets for the band, and jazz for the choir.

Activities centered around reading and “Monsters University,” the school's theme for I Love to Read Month, were available throughout the school. Several crafts were set out; kids could win books in a “book walk,” where they walked to music between numbered stepping stones; when the music stopped a random number would be drawn to determine a winner. “Monsters University Bingo” was played in the library, with characters and quotes from the movie taking the place of numbers on the bingo boards. Reading by flashlight in a darkened room was another popular activity, as were math stories – picture books telling riddles and tales about numbers and operations. Upwards of 125 people attended the evening event.

The big finish came the next morning, when the awards for the top readers were announced. For kindergarten through second grade, the measurement used was minutes spent reading. Top individual readers in this category were Greighten Auen, with 1220 minutes; Hugh Courtney, with 1095 minutes; Georgia Courtney, with 1071 minutes; Jax Olsen, with 870 minutes; and Keeva Rosenau, with 825 minutes. For grades three through six, the students were ranked by the percentage of their personal Accelerated Reading goal each student achieved. Keira Holmgren achieved 446% of her goal, RJ Attenberger achieved 409% of hers, Alanis Sanchez achieved 366%, Lucas Negrete achieved 344%, and Sawyer Collins achieved 305%. All ten students received a certificate of their achievement. Holmgren, Attenberger, Auen, and Hugh Courtney also earned a $10 gift certificate to use at the school book fair, along with the chance to compete against staff in an obstacle course race during the morning's event. The staff gave the students a real run for their money, but it was the students who came out victorious. Awards were also given to the top two classes in each category. The first place classes, who will receive ice cream treats, were second and fourth grade. Next up were first and fifth grade, who have each earned extra recess time.

Members of TEAM Academy staff wanted it known how proud they were of all the enthusiasm their students showed for reading during the month of February.