Jim Fair
Mrs. Walsh's 3rd Grade Class was crowned Grand Champion of the 15th Annual Book Parade at Crestview Elementary School today for "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian".
Jim Fair
The students danced, cheered their peers and enjoyed a cookout for lunch at the annual parade.
Jim Fair
Crestview Principal David Langston tagged students with silly string to commemorate the end of another parade.
Jim Fair
Greenville Superintendent of Schools Burke Royster was in attendance and enjoying the skits the students performed while exhibiting their projects.
Students were dancing unrestrained, teachers were smiling and the principal was spraying Silly String.
All that while Greenville Superintendent of Schools Burke Royster laughed, clapped and nodded with approval during Crestview Elementary School’s 15th Annual Book Parade.
Jonah McCombs and Anna Stoudemayer, first graders, gave glittering reviews of the parade that was built around a theme of favorite books each classroom read.
“I loved the parade,” Jonah said. “I liked that there were so many details about everything.”
Anna, smiling broadly, said, “It was fun.”
Crestview Principal David Langston stretched “Reading is Fun” to unimaginative levels. Students built extravagant displays, some acted out scenes and all illustrated the books they read with signs and props.
“This is just like a community event,” Langston said. “The parents come and participate and they enjoy that. The students get into a lot of discussion about books . . . the second graders see what the third graders are reading. There is a lot of side appeal.”
Crowned Grand Champion was “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” read and presented by Mrs. Walsh’s third grade class. The display also earned the “Most Creative” award.
Nicole McRae, a first grade teacher, said, “The students definitely get interested in the books. They are excited about school and talk about other books. This makes the books come alive.”
McRae’s class was awarded “Best Use of Color” for their presentation of “Fancy Nancy: Stellar Stargazer.”
A Greer Fire Department truck, with sirens blaring, started the parade. Miss Greater Greer Teen Taylor Ross and Colleen Kimbler, a K5 teacher and founder of the parade 15 years ago, were Grand Marshals.
Little was left to chance to impress judges. Mrs. Dempsey’s first grade class, taking license with their interpretation of “Enemy Pie”, presented Royster and the judges a brown paper bag with a pie in it. “I told the students and teachers they can give the judges something but it will not influence their score,” Langston said. One of the three judges confirmed the act of kindness did not influence the results.
• See the list of winners, entries and judges' award.