About 200 students who have read and demonstrated their comprehension of books in the Accelerated Reader (AR) Program were honored with a bingo party last Friday afternoon in the cafeteria. The number of students who have successfully met the goal of 25 points in the AR Program has increased by 40 percent since the first marking period.
In the AR Program, students read books according to their grade level. They are then tested on what they've read. They must earn 25 points or 80 percent on their comprehension.
The 144 students who qualified during the first marking period were treated to pizza and a movie. During the bingo party, students could win gift certificates to Border's Bookstore, a Monopoly game, and five packets of books for each grade level. There were also Beanie Babies from McDonald's and every student who qualified received a cup with goodies in it.
"Everybody's a winner," said Karen Kopp, learning support teacher.
Of the 200 students who qualified to participate in the bingo party, four entire grades made it; one fifth grade and three fourth grade classes.
Fourth grade teacher Tim Horton was helping to call bingo, along with fifth-grade teacher Tawn Battiste. Principal James O'Brien also called numbers. Fifth-grade teacher Kim Nardella got the bingo game and cards from Rebman's in Lancaster.
As students called out "Bingo," teachers walking around the cafeteria would check their cards to make sure they were winners as O'Brien or one of the teachers called off the numbers again.
The students could win at bingo by playing three different ways. The last game played was blackout, in which all the numbers on the card had to be covered before calling "bingo."
Sarah Osteen, a fourth-grader, and Brittany Venerick, a fifth-grader, who were both winners, said they had fun playing bingo.
Kopp said the reward for the third marking period will be Extreme Games, including a dodgeball game in the gym.
"I think it's an added bonus to get students to read," she said of the rewards. "We usually make them a poster to get them excited."
