ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Harrington School kindergarten teacher Jennifer Gambill is in the drink. The dunk tank was the students’ rewards for achieving their reading goals for the year.
BY DILLON DURST
LYNN — Harrington Elementary School students had the thrill of tossing a softball that sent their teachers falling into a water tank Friday.
Harrington’s “Reader Leaders” were each given an opportunity to “dunk” their teachers outside the school. The scholastic program’s mission is to motivate children to earn points for reading books. Students can earn up to 100 points for reading at home or in class based on the number of pages in a book.
In total, 444 children attained Reader Leader status, surpassing the required 80 percent to be awarded the dunk booth. In four of the past five years, the school reached the necessary percentage.
“It’s a great incentive,” said Carol Shutzer, the school’s librarian, of the dunk tank. “We’re trying to get children to understand how important reading is.”
Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy distributed two dozen awards to students who demonstrated an exemplary effort and interest in reading. She encouraged the third-, fourth- and fifth-graders to keep reading over the summer.
Principal Debra Ruggiero recognized three classrooms that achieved 100 percent Reader Leader proficiency. While she wanted to announce each students’ name, she acknowledged the time crunch made it impossible.
“You know what day it is,” she said through a megaphone as the children cheered.
Teachers Jen Gambill and Erica Norman, volunteered to enter the tank first. Custodian Mario DeArco also agreed to take the plunge.
Ruggiero was dunked two dozen times.
She promised that classrooms which attain the top Reader Leader level next year will get two chances to dunk her, instead of one.
Dillon Durst can be reached at [email protected].
