THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 8, 1994 TAG: 9407060104
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02B EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY B.R. BROWN, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Long : 112 lines
``This is the first mate speaking,'' the familiar voice boomed over the public address system at Indian Lakes Elementary School.
``The fishing party will leave at 1:45.
``Over and out.''
The voice belonged to Principal Wayne Smith. And the announcement signaled a promise would be kept for 12 eager readers ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade.
Smith, a fishing enthusiast himself, suggested the outing to reward the school's most ambitious readers during ``reading month'' in January.
Throughout January, teachers charted each student's progress, recording the amount of time spent reading and the number of books read each day. And because the students were reading at home, parents had to buy into the program, too.
First-grade teacher Camille Grabb said the contest provided extra motivation for her students, who colored circles on a whale picture to show how many books they had read.
``First-graders are just getting into reading,'' said Grabb. ``They're so excited they can read for themselves.''
By month's end, her top reader had read 131 books - even memorizing one of her favorites, ``The Berenstein Bears and the New Baby.''
Not surprisingly, that student, Jeanna Scola, was on the list when the totals were tallied and the winning readers announced. Parents whose children were among the winners were invited to join the fishing party.
All that was needed was a perfect-weather June day for fishing.
THAT DAY ARRIVED recently. Escaping from their after-school routines, the students, their parents, faculty and ``Mr. Wayne,'' as Smith is affectionately known to students and teachers, set out for Seagull Pier on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
Bryn Scola, Jeanna's father, said his boss gave him the day off from work. ``He thought it was the greatest thing,'' Scola said.
It was a fishing trip for sport, rather than supper, so when Jeanna caught the first fish, she threw it back. In between baiting and casting, she talked about books.
``I like to read because I learn a lot,'' Jeanna said with a grin, her long blond braid swinging from side to side as she tilted her head and pushed her bangs from her forehead.
``I learned you can make a lot of stuff out of wood and how to be kind to others,'' she said, recalling messages plucked from The Berenstein Bears tale. ``I like it because when they bring home the new baby sister, the papa bear builds a bed out of wood.''
Farther down the pier, schoolmates were scattered, each seemingly intent on catching fish.
When fourth-grader Robyn Mirkoff landed a croaker, she jumped up and down, exclaiming with delight.
Her croaker drew a crowd of other students. Although the reading contest had sparked some competition, it was not the kind that prevented children from being happy about each other's successes.
But Robyn was less impressed when the fish started flipping at the end of her line.
``It's my first fish,'' she said as she squinted her eyes. ``And, I don't like it!'' With some prodding from Principal Smith, she mustered the nerve to take the fish off the hook.
``You can't say you caught it if you don't let it go,'' said Smith.
Kindergartner Kristen Ware caught a croaker, too, then casually released it. ``Oh, it's alive. Bye, bye,'' she chirped, waving to the fish.
THOUGH NOT AS PLENTIFUL in fish counts as the reading contest was in book points, the excursion was a recreational success.
``One adult caught a fish and the rest were all caught by the students,'' said Assistant Principal Robert Smith, who was not the lucky adult. ``I was too busy baiting hooks.''
School officials plan to sponsor another fishing trip for top readers next year. ``It looks like it might become an annual event,'' said Robert Smith.
One benefit of the contest that school officials might not have anticipated was the feeling of comfort it brought to children like Jeanna.
Scola said his daughter enjoys reading by herself or to her brother. But he said she sometimes is bashful about her desire to keep reading books.
``The contest made her feel more comfortable about reading. It made reading fun and educational at the same time,'' he said.
Three of Grabb's first-graders now have begun reading chapter books. And the class read ``Charlotte's Web.''
It is important to encourage reading, said Grabb, because television and radio have captured so much attention. With a book, she said, ``you get to imagine. Television does all that for you.''
THE STRENGTH OF A SUPER-READER'S imagination may have been evident after the fishing had ended.
As they boarded the bus and headed for a picnic at Bayville Park, their chatter filling the aisle, the children talked about the fun they had.
And the one that got away. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by B.R. BROWN
Kindergarten student Kristin Ware isn't quite sure how to handle the
fish she has hooked.
Tara Wright watches her bait drop, while her mother Christina Wright
and teacher Joseph Jackson (in hat) check on their fishing lines.
Kindergarten student Hallett Connor chooses his bait from among
several proffered by kindergarten teacher assistant Rosemarie
Batchelor.
Indian Lakes Elementary School fourth-grade student Robyn Mircoff
shows off the croaker she caught on the fishing trip. The fishing
party, sponsored by Principal Wayne Smith, rewarded the school's top
readers.
by CNB