By Dave Cyrelson, ACS PTSA PresidentAs you read this, the students at Andes Central School are reading to earn the privilege of dropping water balloons and buckets of “slime” on teachers, parents, and community members. “The Big Drop” scheduled for Saturday, June 7th (rain date June 14th) will be the finale of the school’s D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read) event.

While most schools celebrate with a ten-minute D.E.A.R. break during the school day, the Andes’ PTSA wanted to take things a bit further. We wanted to do something this year that would motivate students to do more reading, involve more people in the community, and be a lot more fun.

Beginning April 10th, students in grades pre-K through 6th can either be read to or read aloud to earn a point for each “certified” minute, signed by parent and certified by Grace Bacon, school librarian. Students in grades 7th through 12th earn a point for each “certified” book review and summary. Weekly point tallies will be posted in the school so the students can see where they stand.

The student in each grade with the most certified points as of noon on Friday, May 30th will be a “Big Drop” winner. Additional winners will be selected at random from eligible participants. To be eligible, a student must have earned enough points to place in the top 50% for his/her grade and be present at “The Big Drop.”

While the kids are hard at work reading, they are also carefully considering whom they would like as targets. Who knows whom they will pick? You are invited to come and watch the fun Saturday, June 7th. ~