CES third graders acts of kindness earn them trip to movies
COSHOCTON – All 120 third graders at Coshocton Elementary School were rewarded for their acts of kindness with a trip to Cinemark Theatre in Zanesville to watch an advance movie premier of “Wonder.”
The students started off the school year by having the book version of “Wonder” read out loud to them by their teachers. The staff started working with the book three years ago because of its message.
“It’s about kindness and accepting others,” said Lauren Vensil, who is part of the third grade staff.
Carlye Shaw, another member of the third grade team, said the book is about a boy with a facial disfigurement and how he tries to fit in at school.
“We cry reading it in front of the kids and the kids cry too,” said Denise McPeak.
She said to go along with the book, the third grade staff asked students to do acts of kindness that their parents would help them put down in their planners. Those who completed this task were then able to put a marble in their classroom kindness jars.
When Maribeth Cullins’ classroom filled its jar up she entered them into a contest sponsored by Certified Kind Classroom to win the trip to the movies. That covered 50 children and a parent sent in $200 to help. Plus the school’s PTO group chipped in so the students could receive treat boxes at the movie theater. In the end all students were able to watch the movie and eat popcorn for just $1.
McPeak said the parent who made the donation said her child talked about the book so much at home that she felt compelled to do something.
“The acts of kindness spread to the students’ families,” Vensil said.
There is also now a picture from the book painted in the third grade hallway so students can remember to choose kind, just like the saying on the shirts the teachers had made.
Monica Michael said some of the students enjoyed the book so much that they got their own copy and Mackenzie Crossley said some moved on to the next book “365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts.”
“’Wonder’ is a good book to start the year off with because it teaches them how to treat their fellow classmates and our expectations for them,” McPeak said.
Kay Olinger said that the students also got the opportunity to view a livestream question and answer session with actors from the movie.
In addition to McPeak, Vensil, Shaw, Cullins, Michael, Crossley, and Olinger, the third grade staff at Coshocton also includes Kathy Hawn, and Amy Unkefer.
Category: Education
