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Schools

Blue Point's Top Reader "Pies" Librarian to Conclude PARP Program

Blue Point Elementary School's Parents As Reading Partners program culminated in a messy celebration honoring the student who read the most minutes in March and the overall success of program.

Blue Point Elementary School students proved that a promise of fun at the end of the month-long Parents As Reading Partners program is a great incentive to participate, and even learn a little while they’re at it.

Students and their parents looked back on all they accomplished during the celebration concluding the Parents As Reading Partners program (PARP) program, which took place throughout the month of March.

Families read books, magazines and newspapers together, keeping track of every minute they read. The student that read the most minutes was able to throw a pie in the face of the school librarian, Susan Brinkman.

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Last year the PARP program didn't reach its goal of having the school read a total of 20,000 minutes. Program organizers thought that if the students had some type of incentive it might encourage more readers. That is when Brinkman volunteered to dress as clown and have the top reader throw a pie in her face. 

“I am the reading incentive and it worked, the whole school read to the level and exceeded it,” Brinkman said.

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Blue Point Elementary students and their parents read a total of 53,000 minutes, but only student Colton Farley, who was named as top reader with a total of 2,367 minutes, had the pleasure of tossing a pie at the librarian.

Farley’s last words before throwing the pie were, “I am sorry that I am doing this.” He then hurled the whipped cream pie and hit Brinkman in the face, giving everyone a good laugh, including Brinkman, who was a very good sport.

Principal Diana Ketcham emphasized the importance of the parents, students, teachers and PTA working together to make the program the success it was.

“We hold PARP every year with the help of our PTA.  It encourages all the students to get involved and read as much as they can,” Ketcham said, “It really has been a team effort on everyone’s part.”

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