What do reading, baseball and ice cream have in common? Park Avenue Elementary's Second Annual Reading World Series!! The entrance fee was the number of books each child had read throughout the year. For each book read, students earned points that gave them access to various activities at the May 9 event. Activities included a baseball game against the teachers, inflatable rides, karaoke and Dance Dance Revolution machines, a dunking booth (with teachers), popcorn and ice cream (donated by Purity Dairies). Every child that earned the opportunity to participate received a commemorative T-shirt (provided by RGI) to celebrate the day. At the event, Ozzie (mascot of the Nashville Sounds baseball team) showed up to congratulate the children on their accomplishments and sign T-shirts.
More than 90 percent of the students at Park Avenue qualify for the free lunch program which means the majority of the students and their families have very limited budgets. For several years now, the Nashville Sounds have offered a free night at the ballpark for students who reach certain reading goals. However, many of the Park Avenue children have never been able to participate (the child is free, but the parents can't afford to buy a ticket for themselves or siblings or they do not have transportation to take them to the game). Therefore Park Avenue teachers, with Rogers Group's sponsorship, created this special day. RGI purchased T-shirts for all participants and paid for the carnival games and inflatable rides.
Park Avenue is the adopted school of RGI's corporate office and has been for eight years. RGI provides school supplies in the fall, funds for the uniform closet, one-on-one reading tutors throughout the year and the carnival at the end of the year as an incentive for all the students to read throughout the year.
Using the smiles and hugs of all the children as a metric . . . truly together we create opportunities for people (including children) to succeed!
|
Executive Assistant and Event Planner Diane Lawbaugh poses with Park Avenue Student Derrick Thomas. Diane visits the school to tutor Derrick on a regular basis.
The teachers are at bat, but the students are having more fun!
Nashville Sounds Mascot Ozzie was on-hand to celebrate the students’ reading accomplishments.
|
