Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Nicole Brown and her 4-year-old son Jeremiyah play a game of Bingo Tuesday evening at Floyd Elementary School's literacy night event in the school's cafeteria.
FLOYD — Floyd Elementary School's seasonal "Literacy Night" encouraged students of varying ages to find enjoyment in reading Tuesday evening, while taking in a healthy dose of the Christmas spirit.
The event brought children and their families together to participate in various literacy-themed games, such as word bingo and a scavenger hunt, as well as to celebrate Christmas with hot chocolate and cookies, and even a visit with Santa Claus.
According to pre-kindergarten teacher Sheri Chenault, the ultimate goal of the event was to strengthen the bond that exists between teachers, students and families.
"It's important for our families and our students and our teachers — everyone involved — to see us as a team, and not everybody individual, to make education work. This is a way to pull all of us together, do some literacy activities," she said.
The event also demonstrated literacy can be enjoyable and easy to learn, added Chenault.
"It doesn't have to be sitting down reading a novel. It can be fun activities, and still learning. They're (the students) doing activities that are actually teaching, but they're doing it in a fun way," she said.
Melissa Griffith, who attended the event with her 10-year-old son Jimmy, said that the event was valuable for the opportunity it gave parents to interact with teachers.
"The interaction with the teacher-parent relationship is important for the child. The literacy, also, is important," she said.
Nicole Brown brought her son Jeremiyah, 4, to literacy night for the activities being offered, as well as the learning opportunities available.
"It (literacy night) builds their education. It starts them while they're young. It makes them grow from that," said Brown.
13-year-old Rebecca Banister and 12-year-old Nayeli Munoz both enjoyed the Christmas themed activities — Banister said that she sat in Santa's lap — and the event's emphasis on reading.
"I like how there's different perspectives," said Munoz of reading.
"Sometimes the stories can be interesting," Banister said, adding that her favorite book is "Where The Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls.
