Students ‘Get Lit with Reading’

Photos Courtesy of Cicely L. Tyson Community School
Cicely L. Tyson middle school students are pictured here during the assembly where the winners of the ‘Get Lit With Reading Contest’ were announced and students participated in games and activities.

It was a big day for seventh graders at the Cicely L. Tyson Community School.

“We did it! We won,” said 12-year-old Troy Jenkins as it was announced that his class had defeated the eighth graders in the “Get Lit With Reading” contest.

The event, hosted and initiated by Literacy Arts Coach Fay Carr, commenced with her emphasizing the significance of reading in both present and future lives.

She passionately underscored the importance of daily reading and placed special emphasis on the indispensable Learning Ally platform, which helps readers through audiobooks and support services for educators, parents, and students.

Christopher Oliver, the data coach, presented the comprehensive reading progress report accompanied by a comparative table for students’ review.
After his engaging presentation, Carr introduced the upcoming interactive activities.

The planned activities included “Sugar Rush” with cookies, “Stack It Up” with popsicle sticks and dice, “Moving on Up” with cups, “M&M Frenzy,” “Noodling Around” with ziti noodles and spaghetti, “Breakfast Scramble” with a cereal box puzzle, “Blown Away” with balloons and cups, and “Rapid Stack” with array cups.

Before the games began, sixth-grade Language Arts teacher Tiffany Vann, along with a group of students, took the stage and fired up the audience with a special cheer:

“Shabooya, Sha Sha, Shabooya, ROLL CALL!
We like to read, Yeah! It’s what we need, Yeah!
Learning Ally is what helps us to succeed, Yeah!
Then there’s i-Ready, Yeah! It keeps us steady, Yeah!
CommonLit is the key to get us ready, Yeah!
We are the leaders, yeah! Elegant readers, Yeah!
We study plot, conflict, setting, and the thesis, yeah!!
Shabooya, sha sha, shabooya, ROLL CALL!”

Subsequently, Carr announced the start of the games, inciting shouts of excitement from the students.

Volunteers from each grade level competed in the activities while their peers cheered them on. A student DJ added to the lively atmosphere by spinning beats, energizing the participants. Winners of each activity earned points for their group, displayed on a scoreboard for everyone to see. Even the teachers joined in, striving earnestly to earn points for their teams.

As the event neared its end, a tie emerged between the seventh and eighth grades, both boasting 700 points. To break the deadlock, a dance-off was initiated, sparking heightened excitement. Three representatives from each grade came together onstage.

The crowd watched intently as eighth-grader, Destinee Mack-Ayers, was up slamming her skills, front and center, owning the stage as the onlookers cheered their approval.

Alongside her, seventh grader Mutaquim Moses pulled out all the stops too, dazzling the crowd with backflips, culminating in a triumphant split. Cheers echoed through the crowd.

Ultimately, Moses emerged victorious, clinching the event for his classmates.

Students shared their thoughts:

“The event,” said Iayla Wallace-Wright, 12, “inspires me because it helps me see how I can get better and improve my reading.”
Carr was pleased with the event’s success.

“I extend my thanks to the teachers and students whose enthusiastic participation made this event surpass my expectations,” Carr said. “The students’ excitement and the staff’s wholehearted involvement enabled us to effectively convey the central message – the significance of reading.”

Principal John English labeled the event a success.

“It was interactive and fun, with a DJ getting students involved,” English said. “Students appeared to have a great time and were actively engaged during the event. As we move forward, I hope this enthusiasm continues throughout the rest of the year’s activities.