Principal Anne Garrison wears the eagle outfit she made as she reads to some of her students at Zeb Vance Elementary School on November 12.
For the second consecutive year, Principal Anne Garrison took time out of her busy schedule to read to students at Zeb Vance Elementary School during the school day on November 12.
Her reading adventure was part of the “Read Your Heart Out” activity in the Book It Pizza Hut Challenge.
As she did last school year, Garrison occupied a spot in the school’s main lobby to gather favorite books and read them to students in classes who signed up throughout the day to hear the literary stories.
However, this year, she was dressed as the school’s eagle mascot in a black sweatsuit she topped with white fabric to make the eagle’s head, complete with a yellow beak and eyes. “Mrs. Garrison the Eagle” also sat on her nest as she read. The nest was brown construction paper formed around a short, round table. The costume and nest looked authentic and the students thoroughly enjoyed the stories. Garrison’s reading sessions lasted about 30 minutes each. She drank liquids to keep her voice in good “reading” condition throughout the day and at the end of each session had students select one, new book to take home. She was able to purchase the books last year at area book sales from funding through the Pizza Hut Challenge.
“I’ve found that I really enjoy doing this,” Garrison noted. “It gives me quality time to spend with our students doing something that I love to do and that promotes the joy of reading to them. I get to share some of my favorite books with the students. A lot of them want to talk with me about the stories after I’ve read them. Some have even said they want to get copies of the books I’ve read.
“I think any time we focus on reading, it is a good thing for our students,” she continued. “I’ve enjoyed doing this for the last two years and plan to continue it.”
Her big challenge will be coming up with an even better “reading” costume for next year.