Students at Roanoke Avenue Elementary School in the Riverhead Central School District were rewarded with a chicken dance by their principal after rising to a challenge to collectively read for 50,000 minutes during their school’s annual Reading Week.
The students not only met the challenge set by their principal, but exceeded it by reading a combined total of 51,930 minutes.
While the school couldn’t host an annual celebratory assembly due to COVID restrictions, Principal Thomas Payton filmed himself wearing a chicken suit and doing the chicken dance. The video was sent to all classrooms.
Leading up to the virtual chicken dance, students celebrated Reading Week through a variety of spirit days. They wore red to show they are “well-read,” sported crazy socks, participated in Poem in Your Pocket Day and celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday with read-alouds.