Elementary school carnival brings northeast Reading together for fun

May 15—Bringing the community together for fun was the aim of 13th & Green Elementary School's spring carnival.

The event Monday on the school playground featured food trucks, music and family-friendly activities and games with plenty of toss games.

"We have a javelin toss over here," Principal Kevin Collins said, pointing to a safe version using foam swim noodles instead of the traditional spear. "Here we have a beanbag toss and a toilet paper toss. And over here, we are going to have the most popular: toss a pie at the principal."

Before donning his pie-repellent gear, Collins took a moment to talk about the carnival and its background.

Planning for the expanded event started after the success of a smaller carnival last year, he said.

"It's really been a team effort between my school staff here and community partners," he said.

Some of those partners included the Reading Police and Public Works departments, Olivet Boys and Girls Club and United Way of Berks County Read Alliance Program.

"It's really been a collaborative effort," Collins said. "It is great, you know, whenever we can get our students, their families, staff members and the community to come together."

The carnival would not have been possible without all the volunteers, he said, noting these included the school's teachers, who were not paid for their time at the event, and a group of 28 Reading High School students.

"We have the teenagers from the high school that are giving up their time to come in after school and assist, and they don't even have to be here," said Roshanna Floyd, elementary school assistant principal. "That's the beauty of it all."

The teen volunteers are tutors for the United Way's Read Alliance Program, said Deborah Glaser Lloyd, Read Alliance program manager.

The program pairs local elementary school students with Reading High students three days a week to focus on building reading and literacy skills through reading aloud and other activities.

The elementary students gain measurable progress in their reading skills, she said, and the high school students learn valuable leadership and work skills while earning academic credits and a paycheck.

"But today, they're here as volunteers and we couldn't be prouder of them," Glaser Lloyd said.

At one end of the playground, Dailyn Arias, 16, helped a young girl aim a noodle at a ring, while Jorge Malave, 16, collected stray bean bags.

Both are sophomores and tutors for Read Alliance.

Malave said he signed up for the program as a way of earning credits and helping younger students improve their reading skills.

Helping kids with their schoolwork wasn't anything new for Malave.

"I have younger siblings at home, so I'm used to working with kids," he said.

When he learned volunteers were needed for the carnival, he signed up.

"Sure," he said. "I would like to have fun with the kids, help them win prizes, see them have fun out here. You know, just enjoy a memory."

Having fun was the purpose of the event, Floyd said.

"The scholars are so excited to be here," she said. "Seeing your teachers in a different climate just makes schooling so much fun."

By extending their day to volunteer after school, the teachers showed they really care for the children and the community, she said.

The teachers organized the event and solicited the community and asked local businesses for sponsorships and donations, Floyd noted.

"Every person that we asked said, 'Yes,'" she said. "So that just shows that we're all coming together for the betterment of our children. And when you bet on your children, you can't lose."