THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 24, 1994 TAG: 9411220209
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REBECCA A. MYERS, VIRGINIAN-PILOT/LEDGER STAR STAFF
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
David ``Running Bear'' Johnson, 6, was too shy to recount how any of the 18 feathers in his headdress were earned.
Five-year-old Theron ``Prince Thunder Cloud'' Newton, however, knew exactly how he merited his nine feathers.
``For being nice,'' Theron said matter-of-factly. ``That's all I earned them for.''
Since the first of the month, the kindergarten students at Portsmouth Catholic Elementary School have earned feathers for good deeds - walking quietly down the hall, packing their bookbags without talking, being kind to each other at lunchtime, . . .
At the end of the two-week project, parents were asked to reimburse their children 10 cents for each feather earned, which was then donated to Oasis. Because the 39 kindergarteners earned an average of 15 feathers each, they were able to collect about $60 for the social ministry.
``The feathers that they earned depended on the child,'' said Kim Bikowski, one of two kindergarten teachers at the school.
``Some of them earned nine feathers and some earned 22 feathers. It just depended on how many times they made their goal for a particular deed,'' she said.
The project, an annual tradition for 15 years, was the brainchild of former teacher Donna Henry. Its focus has always been on good behavior as opposed to scholastic achievement.
``We tried to come up with ideas for good deeds that everybody could achieve,'' said Bikowski.
At the culmination of the feather-earning project, the children were treated to an Indian powwow and a Thanksgiving feast, complete with cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, cornbread, apple sauce, green beans, sliced turkey breast with gravy, roasted peanuts and popcorn.
The meal, served buffet-style, was prepared by the children with a little help from their parents.
Said Bikowski: ``We couldn't have done this without the parents. Each day, we've had a different group of mothers come in to help the children prepare a different traditional Thanksgiving food.''
The children had the option of dressing as Indians or Pilgrims for the feast. Allyson Armstrong, 5, an Indian by the name ``Princess Fish,'' wasn't in the mood for turkey or any of the trimmings. She refused everything offered to her with a forceful shake of her head.
``Just popcorn,'' she told the server. Intervening, Allyson's mother suggested she try a spoonful of potatoes.
``White potatoes,'' Allyson insisted.
``We don't have white potatoes, just orange,'' explained her mother, Sharon Armstrong.
``I don't want orange,'' Allyson said adamantly. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Students at Portsmouth Catholic Elementary School enjoy the rewards
of good behavior at a Thanksgiving feast.
by CNB