Principal Ploutz puckers up for piglet
Marion Elementary School students cheered loudly Friday when they learned they had exceeded their reading goal by 6,771 minutes.
They cheered even louder when they learned their principal would have to kiss a pig all because they met and exceeded their reading goal.
The piglet smooching event was one of the culminating activities during Children's Book Week this past week at MES. All week long students participated in a variety of activities which promote reading.
Beginning the week, a goal was set that students would read a total of 30,000 minutes from Monday through Thursday night. When all the minutes were tallied, MES Media Specialist Elaine Shannon determined the students had read a total of 36,771 minutes.
During an assembly Friday afternoon, one student was named from each grade as a Reading Brave Buck winner. These students then had the honor of telling MES Principal Stan Ploutz that he would have to kiss a pig.
The students were William Holt, kindergarten; Dylan Carpenter, first grade; Dakota Funk, second grade; Brayden Putter, third grade; Amanda Kesier, fourth grade; Zach Robinson, fifth grade; and Kaylyn Spencer, sixth grade.
They also received an extra RIF book, a "Free to Read" hacky sack ball, and a poster from the Scholastic Book Fair.
After Principal Ploutz kissed the pig, the seven students each selected a staff member to come down and kiss the pig as well.
"None of the adults in the building had any advance warning that they might have to participate in this activity," Shannon said. "So much fun was had by all."
Adults chosen to kiss the pig were Lana Fahey, Tim Young, Susan Hall, Julie Trapp, Beth Schobert, Sandy Vetter, and Darla Spencer.
Terry Olsen provided the six-week-old piglet for the activity.
Also, additional posters were given away to seven other Brave Buck winners: Monica Harrison, kindergarten; Josiah Meador, first grade; Grif Case, second grade; Monica Spachek, third grade; Jessie Taylor, fourth grade; Madison Chamberland, firth grade; and Doug Schroeder, sixth grade.
The final activity of Children's Book Week was a balloon release.
The following students were selected by teachers to represent their classes durng the balloon release:
Kindergarten — Bailee Robson and Morgan Herzet, morning session; Courtney Williams, Shyla Harris, Alex Findley, and Dylan Pippin, afternoon session.
First grade — Brett Voth, Braden Fahey, and Tylor Patterson.
Second grade — Zac Lewman, Justin Peterson, and Rachel Neil.
Third grade — Becca Williams, Ericka Herzet, and Chelsea Voth.
Fourth grade — Justin Rahe, Cory Hiebert, and Victoria Steiner.
Fifth grade — Keesha Patterson, Madison Chamberland, and Ariel Depler.
Sixth grade — Bethany Maddox, Danny Hett, and Joe Richmond.
