By Sarrah Peters, News Editor
C. A Donehoo Elementary School teacher Jennifer Henslee’s first grade class held a celebration on Friday, May 19. The class celebrated reading over one million words.
“I promised them if we met our million word goal they would get a pizza party with cupcakes,” said Henslee.
The kids met the goal, reading a total of 1,008,476 words. The 19 students averaged over 50,000 words each, although several readers read over 100,000 words by themselves. One student, with the most words read in the class, read just shy of 125,000 words. The class took nearly 3,000 Accelerated Reading tests.
Henslee said that some of these students started the school year unable to read. Students added that Henslee taught them to break words into chunks to sound the words out.
The students named some of their favorite books, as well. The class is fond of Dr. Suess classics Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, The Grinch and Fox in Socks. The class also agreed that Pete the Cat was a favorite.
Henslee hopes that her students continue to read over the summer break.
