By Debbie Adams
Students at Mount Pleasant Elementary School wrapped up this year’s “One School, One Book”
read aloud plus a three week Read-A-Thon with a school assembly on March 22 in which the top
10 readers (in minutes) were able to pour molasses/syrup on the heads of faculty members.
at Mount Pleasant Elementary volunteered to be doused with syrup as part of the school’s
reading incentive program in March. (photos by Debbie Adams)
Both programs started on March 1. During the Read-A-Thon, students read as much as possible
and kept track of their minutes with the incentive of qualifying in the top 10 to be able to drench
their teachers with cups of syrup.
After the final tally, Mount Pleasant students read a total of 42,552 minutes in March.
Top readers were Kalee Royall (1,670 minutes), Owen Gahima (1,588), Lua Ihmedian (1,262),
Willow Wiggins (1,240), Colton Jenkins (1,010), Riley Clark (918), Laken Ayers (843), Keira
Saccocci (750), Blayne Moore (738), and Lydia Hatcher (723 minutes). Ms. Swortzel’s class
came in first place in total minutes read with 6747.
One young student was heard to say in amazement as the totals were announced, “How did they
read so much?”
The “One School, One Book” reading program is designed to promote both literacy and
community engagement. A single book is chosen for the entire school community and becomes a
common reading experience for students, teachers, all staff, and families. Each student in the
school receives a copy of the chosen book and takes it home to read with their families. At
school, students celebrate and explore the novel together. By involving families in reading the
same book, the program encourages parents and guardians to engage with their children’s
learning. It bridges the home-school connection and fosters a love for reading within families.
This year’s selection was “I Survived the Great Molasses Flood: 1919,” from the historical
fiction series by Lauren Tarshis. The book is based on a real event—over one hundred years ago,
a killer wave of molasses struck a crowded Boston neighborhood. The Great Molasses Flood,
also known as the Boston Molasses Disaster, occurred on January 15, 1919. A large storage tank
filled with 2.3 million gallons of molasses weighing approximately 12,000 metric tons, burst,
and the resultant wave of molasses rushed through the streets at an estimated 35 miles per hour,
killing 21 people and injuring 150. The event entered local folklore and residents reported for
decades afterwards that the area still smelled of molasses on hot summer days.
The author has written 24 books in the “I Survived” series with a goal of “telling a terrifying and
thrilling story from history through the eyes of a kid who lived to tell the tale.” Other titles
involve the sinking of the Titanic, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the San Francisco earthquake,
the American Revolution, the attacks of September 11, 2001, the Battle of Gettysburg, the
Destruction of Pompeii, the Great Chicago Fire, and Hurricane Katrina.
At the closing assembly, five fifth graders also presented book commercials about different
books in the “I Survived” book series.
Each student was able to choose a book to take home from the “I Survived” series. They also
received a piece of molasses candy.
The good-sport faculty members who agreed to be covered in syrup were fourth grade teacher
Lee-Ann Mcghee, fourth grade teacher Heather Evans, first grade teacher Jenny Swortzel,
guidance counselor Abby Moomaw, and librarian Lynez Humphries.
The reading programs and assembly were organized and facilitated by Reading Specialist Kristen
Seth, Title 1 Teacher Karen Coy, Instructional Assistant Elaine Lane, and Humphries
Humphries says the programs were also a fundraiser for the school, but “our main focus has been
on reading.” Students raised $2,954 for school programs.
