Students at Mason-Dixon Elementary School went on an adventure this month and invited their families and community members along.
Students in all grades at the school — pre-K through 5 — were given a copy of Beverly Cleary’s “The Mouse and the Motorcycle.”
In the novel, Ralph, a young mouse, goes on adventures — riding the toy motorcycle of a young hotel guest.
Ralph lives in a knothole in a hotel room, and watches as families come and go. When Keith and his parents check in, Ralph takes a chance on the toy bike.
Mason-Dixon Assistant Principal Megan Bacorn, who also serves as the ed tech leader, said the community reading event is done every year.
The goal is to show the students reading is fun.
“It’s to bring families together with reading and bring the community in,” Bacorn said. “It shows the kiddos that everyone who loves them, cares about reading and them.”
Last year, “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White was the chosen novel.
“I can’t wait to see what next year’s novel will be,” Bacorn said.
Following this year’s book, the school in Blacksville was transformed into Mountainview Hotel — the one where Ralph lived.
Bacorn said each teacher decorated their classroom door.
“Some created mouse holes,” Bacorn said. “They went along with Ralph and his adventures.”
School custodians and cooks judged the doors. The school’s PTO sponsored gift cards for the class with the best one.
Getting the community involved, questions were posted at area businesses, where families could go on a scavenger-like hunt and earn small prizes by answering the questions and returning to the school.
The Clay-Battelle Public Library participated by holding a bookmark contest.
