OBE students attend Camp Read A Lot
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Betty Archer Allen/Gulf Breeze News Mrs' Richardson's second grade class enjoy Reading In A Tent.

One hundred second grade students at Oriole Beach Elementary (OBE) attended Camp Read-a-lot to celebrate reaching their Accelerated Reading (AR) goals on Friday, March 9.

It was an afternoon that included a fun camp agenda such as Reading In a Tent, Beach Volleyball, Making Bookmarks, Line Dancing and, of course, eating S'Mores,! The second grade teachers include Mrs' Richardson, Meiers, Kastone, Clifford, Miller, Youngblood and Player.

This is not the first Reading Celebration to be held at OBE. A celebration for fifth graders was called the Super Bowl and for the fourth graders was called Mardi Gras. Others are planed for the future.

OBE's special events reading celebrations are master minded by Mary McMahon, Library Media Specialist, with the assistance of Sherry Diamond, Principal; Warren Stevens, Assistant Principal; Jo-Onda Henderson, teaching assistant; and many parent volunteers.

Mary McMahon holds a degree in Elementary from the University of Montevallo in Alabama. She has had 20 years experience teaching first through sixth grades before assuming the position of Library Media Specialist. She says, "I feel that I've begun a new career and one that I love so much."

Betty Archer Allen/Gulf Breeze News Principal Sherry Diamond checks up on some OBE readers.

The focus of the AR program at OBE School for the 2006 -2007 school year is to provide each student with a personalized reading plan. The Faculty and Staff want AR students to enjoy the process as they become better readers and as they work to achieve the year's growth recommended by the state. Guidelines that have been developed by the AR staff and adopted by OBE staff and OBE Friends of the Library are to encourage all OBE students to do the following: 1. Read books at their level. 2. Earn a minimum number of points each week. 3. Test on the books read and maintain an accuracy level of 85 percent or above on the quizzes taken. 4. Read in school and at home for enjoyment. 5. Practice TWI (reading TO, reading WITH, and reading INDEPENDENTLY 60 minutes at school and 20 minutes at home per day.

The goal of the Accelerated Reading program is that all students be successful in attaining their individual goals.

It is a foregone conclusion that Mary McMahon, Sherry Diamond, Warren Stevens, Jo- Onda Henderson and the parent volunteers will be offering many more innovative ways to motivate students in the future.