Lake Region—Peterson-Warren Academy students were excited as the principal, Juanita Martin, challenged them to read books to win the right to put her in a dunking tank. During an assembly, Martin explained to the students that the month of March was proclaimed "The Reading Month," and students were challenged to read books from the Accelerated Reading book list to accumulate 900 points.

The "READ: Meeting the Challenge" was given to Peterson-Warren Academy students on February 25. Pre-school and kindergarten parents received letters explaining the challenge and how reading to their children would allow them to accumulate points on behalf of the student body. Students feverishly read as each day went by. By the end of the first week, they had reached 270 points as the principal taunted the students to put her in the dunking booth.

By the end of the second week, the students had accumulated 370 points. At this rate, the principal began to prepare for the booth. The students saw the reading thermometer tip at 575 by the end of the third week, and they began taunting the principal to prepare for the inevitable.

Unfortunately, on the last day of the challenge, students were only able to meet 794 of the 900 points needed to win. However, it was later brought to the principal’s attention that grades one and two had not submitted their 277 points on the last day of the challenge. If they had, it would have taken them beyond the 900 points to win the principal’s challenge.

Martin was not put in the dunking tank, since the points did not total 900 by the deadline. However, a celebration party was held in May for all students who participated. The students have alerted the principal that they are getting ready for the next reading challenge.

Ray Young, Lake Region Conference communication director, as shared by Juanita Martin, Ed.D., Peterson-Warren Academy principal