At Canon-Mac, reading is FUNdamental
Jaime Fidurski helps 4-year-old Ash Morrow and first-grader Derek Cuter create paper-plate clowns at one of the activity stations at Canon-McMillan School District’s first “Under the Big Top” literacy night at Frank Sarris Library.
Kenden Bickmeier, a kindergarten student at First Street Elemenary School, tosses a football through the mouth of a clown painted by North Strabane Intermediate School students.
Sam Luba, a junior at Canon-McMillan High School, makes balloon animals “Under the Big Top” with some help from his classmate Evan Landgraff.
Canonsburg Middle School students Morgan Smith, Jason Puglisi, Melissa Ventura and Nathan Weese read their story, “The Three-Legged Deer,” to a group of elementary students during one of two literacy nights at Frank Sarris Library. Students in the advanced English 8 class illustrated and wrote books that they shared with the youngsters.
Antonio Vallejo, left, and Caleb Schoeler, sixth-graders at North Strabane Intermediate School, paint a poster for “Under the Big Top” literacy nights.
Sixth-graders Noah Blayney, left, and Margo Craig fill a lollipop tree for Canon-McMillan School District’s literacy nights.
CANONSBURG – Canon-McMillan School District recently took the term “reading is fundamental” to a whole new level, with the emphasis most definitely on fun.
Spearheaded by Lynne Douglas, sixth-grade science teacher at North Strabane Intermediate School, Canon-McMillan’s third annual Literacy Nights attracted hundreds of students to Frank Sarris Public Library. This year’s theme was “Under the Big Top,” and students, staff and administrators pooled their efforts to make it as much fun as possible for the kindergarteners through fourth-graders who were invited from the district’s seven elementary schools.
“I think the best part is the respect kids get for books, and it shows them how much fun reading can be,” said Denielle Bickmeier, who was sitting on a bench with fellow parent Carla McCullough as their children played one of the many games throughout the “big top.”
Their children, second-grader Sophie Bickmeier, and her brother, Kenden, who is in kindergarten, and second-grader Jenna McCullough attend First Street Elementary School. Jenna’s mother said they wanted to support the school’s principal, Shannon Balch, who was one of several guest readers.
Douglas continues to organize the event not only to encourage youngsters to read, but also as a tribute to the late philanthropist Frank Sarris, better known as the “Candy Man” in Canonsburg.
“My life is better because Frank Sarris was in it. This is one way I can give back to him,” said Douglas, whose voice chokes with emotion whenever she talks about her mentor.
Douglas began working in the candy store at Sarris Candies when she was 17 years old. When she was hired as a full-time teacher, Sarris asked her not to leave – and she hasn’t, out of respect for him. She now serves as a part-time manager.
“I think Mr. Sarris wanted the library for kids to come and read. He cared about the kids and the community,” Douglas said. “It is amazing how everyone has embraced this project in just three short years. So many people have asked how they can help. I am so tickled, and the kids benefit in the end.”
Older Canon-McMillan students were drafted to help with the event, and they did so with enthusiasm.
North Strabane Intermediate School students made bookmarks, posters and bingo cards as part of a community service project for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.
Gifted students at Canonsburg Middle School created their own books. The young authors then read their stories to the youngsters. High school students involved in Student Council and the National Honor Society helped run the games and literary stations each night.
Tim Grebeck, a junior who is on Student Council and is a member of NHS, served as ringmaster the first evening and was handing out Sarris candy. “Oh yeah, I’m having loads of fun,” he said.
Lizanne Marshall, a freshman on Student Council who has volunteered at the library during the summer, quickly chimed in, “If you’re the ringmaster, you’re running the show.”
Perhaps the hardest-working student volunteer, though, was junior Sam Luba. He was dressed as a clown and had a steady line of youngsters, who patiently waited for him to make them a balloon animal. As he feverishly fashioned the animals, Luba said he started “clowning around” when he agreed to play the part for a niece’s birthday party.
Upon their arrival, elementary students received a free book and a carnival ticket that contained a list of the literary activities. They were required to complete the four literary stations – Canon-Mac Story Time, Middle School Ringmasters, Literacy Council and Book-It – and six of the eight activities, such as bingo, with vocabulary words replacing numbers; Carnival Mad Lab, which involved filling in the blanks to create their own story; and coloring bookmarks.
“We want to get them through all of the literary stations to earn their way to the big top,” said Rebecca Thompson, elementary librarian who co-chaired the event with Douglas and was handing out carnival tickets.
In the big top, there was a flurry of activity as youngsters scurried from one game to another, trying to win prizes at the ring toss, tic-tac-toe and Ka-Plunk, just to name a few.
All of them succeeded, and they left the circus with an armful of goodies.
Douglas couldn’t have been happier with the cooperation – or the results.
” It warms my heart because of what Mr. Sarris meant to me and what the library would represent for him,” Douglas said. “It’s important for kids to know about Mr. Sarris, and people appreciate what he’s done for the community.”