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Whatever it takes to get the kids to read...Good Job!!!
AIKEN - Aiken Elementary Principal Sharon Cagle wrinkled her nose as she bent toward the hairy, wet snout of a baby pink pig.
As hundreds of kids chanted "Kiss the pig" and pumped their fists in the air, Ms. Cagle fulfilled a yearlong reading promise.
Pupils received a pink, paper link to add to a chain going around the school for every book read this year. If the chain went completely around the school, Ms. Cagle would kiss a pig. After 5,640 books, the chain went around the school more than once.
The pig-kissing promise made pupils think they would get the better of the principal.
"This was payback," said Blake Nesbit, 11, realizing that making the principal kiss the pig only made him read more this year.
Blake's fifth-grade teacher, Ashley Elvis, said the contest pushed the pupils to read more than usual because they couldn't wait to add a link to the chain.
"They helped the kids enjoy reading and know it was for a goal instead of just having to do it," Ms. Elvis said.
"They were excited and reminded me all the time to fill out slips."
Ms. Cagle said she held the pig-kissing event as an end-of-year incentive to keep pupils enthusiastic through the winter and spring testing months.
"If you do it too soon, then it's gone," she said.
"One of the fifth-graders asked if I could do it every year, and they said they would come back just to see it happen. Someone even asked if I could kiss an elephant," Ms. Cagle said.
The pig kiss ended a day of events focused on encouraging good reading habits. The day started with a book float for which a pupil even dressed as a pig. Pupils also wrote poetry after lunch.
"This just shows that we can keep a promise to read more," said 11-year-old Aleah Thomas.
Reach Julia Sellers at (803) 648-1395, ext. 106 or julia.sellers@augustachronicle.com.
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