Students of Steuart Weller Elementary School that completed the school library's reading incentive were treated to a fun and exciting show last Tuesday. Paul Hadfield, known as the Funny Guy, performed his hit show "Spats" for a roomful of 150 people. Acting as "The Lost Vaudevillian," Hadfield used storytelling, props, comedy and human tricks such as juggling and unicycling to entertain his audience of kindergarten through fifth graders and their families.
This was Hadfield's second appearance at Steuart Weller Elementary School. Last year was the first year that he performed in conjunction with the reading initiative. Coined "Family Night," the evening consisted of a Scholastic Book Fair held in the library followed by the Spats performance in the gymnasium.
Weller's librarian, Wendy Hockersmith, coordinated the book fair and reading incentive program.
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"It's our present to them for a job well done," she said.
Students were invited to attend the Spats show with their families for free, provided that they completed 100 minutes of reading and submitted their log to the librarian. Tickets were not available to students for purchase, but more than 150 students completed the challenge, securing their entrance into the show.
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"When we set the goal, we knew that this was something that everyone could achieve and be successful with," Hockersmith said.
100 minutes of reading may sound daunting to a second grader, but with a month to complete the assignment, it equates to reading just five minutes a night.
"When kids first hear 100, they gasp. Then they realize that it's achievable," said Hockersmith.
Hockersmith and her colleagues at Steuart Weller hope that reading incentives like this will put students on the right track. Several of them are held throughout the school year and although not all of them include live performances, the students still appreciate the value of completing the challenge.
"When they make connections between the work and the reward, they are more apt to do it again," Hockersmith said.