TES staff members dressed up as characters from The Wizard of Oz to celebrate their reading program.

Tharptown Elementary School took a trip down the Yellow Brick Road at the end of the school year as students and faculty celebrated a year’s worth of reading.

TES held a school-wide assembly on May 15 to celebrate the culmination of their year-long reading program, “Reading is Totally ‘Oz’some!” – a concept created by school literact coach Susie Stockton, who played the role of Oz.

“This is the third year we have had the reading program and each year has had its own theme,” Stockton said.

“This year’s theme was chosen in tribute to celebrating the 75^th Anniversary of the movie The Wizard of Oz.

“The students participated in several school-wide “OZ” reading activities throughout the school year. Reading is a high priority at TES.”

At the beginning of the program, Stockton said Jessica Cantrell, first grade teacher, dressed as the character Dorothy and sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as a tribute to the movie.

Danna Garrison, kindergarten teacher, sang, “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” as characters acted out the scene but skipped off to “read a good book, a wonderful, wonderful book” instead of off to see the Wizard.

There were also special readings by the Scarecrow, Shayna Hudson, the Tin Man, Michelle Puryear, and the Lion, Nichole Ergle, as a way to encourage the students to have courage, to have a heart of gold, and to make good decisions in life.

One student from each homeroom was given the ‘Oz’some Achiever Award for the most improved in reading. Those students included: Abby Wilson, Cole McDonald, Malia McCullar, Kobe Warhurst, Elena Luca, Shyla Martinez, Kaleigh Massey, Maddie Gibson, Noah Capelton, Kaeda Celestino, Hunter Reynolds, Alyvia Kelley, Gunner Daugherty, Dannie Gooch, Andrew Huston, Viviana Aguirre, Berenice Bahena, Kaitlyn Cox, and Gunner Lane.

All A’s Awards were given to the students who made 90 percent or above on each weekly reading test. Those students included: Maci  Calhoun, Will Daily, Miranda Gutierrez, Leonela Vela Jaquez, Draven West, Autumn Till, Cameron Cassel, Chelsea Delk, Jaden Dyar, Giselle Sarabia, Katie Scott, Leilani Calderon, Nick Galloway, Clayton Harper, Isabella Hall, Braycen Johnson, Kacen McHenry, Tatiana Migueis, Amos Morgan, Sanyaa Ricketts, Abby Wilson, Lexi Peeden, Addison Gasque, Neyland Baker, Dacota Green, Riley Lawrence, Brayden Hall, Dylan Dolley, Paisley Holaway, Melissa Aparisio, Bryson Poss, Kourtney Brown, Presley Laster, Kyndall Morgan, Brayden Malone, Autumn Montgomery, Tyler Amos and Bernardo Castillo.

All A’s and B’s Awards were given to students who made a combination of 80 percent or 90 percent above on each weekly reading test. Those students included: Jonathan Brown, Jayden Partain, Mike Promotor, Halie Pounders, Laura Belle Ergle, Alyssa Fischer, Charlie Sue Montgomery, Kevin Serafin, Edgar Perez, Gabriel Hernandez, Luis Ramirez, Ricardo Gutierrez, Lydia Garrison, Talina Romans, Janie Clement, Shyla Martinez, Cornelio Balbuena, Yuliana Vera Ponce, Braisly Barboza, Graycee Huffstutler, Ethan Marion, Abbey Poore, Karly Terry, Brody Tyra, Daniel DelaSancha, Edwin Vela, Jackson Clement, Dawson Higgins, Sarah Kate Kiel, Landon McClellan, Jacob Pointer, Joshua Reed, Krymson Tverberg, Tilmon Baker, Danielle Cassel, Landen Borden, Malachi Gholston, Jacob Herring, Abel Melton, Skyler Poore, Evan Davis, J.T. Thompson, Taylor Celestino, Dillan Wingo, Leslie Staggs, Zack Wallace, Katlyn Smith, Matthew Mears, Bethany Gasque, Luke Garrison, Ethan Pennington, Ty Martin and Orlando Hernandez.

Stockton said 25 names of students that had made an A or B on every weekly reading test were drawn to throw a bucket of water on the Wicked Witch, played by TES principal Ann Scott, to try to melt her.

The first name drawn, Perla Sandoval, won a $50 gift card and was the first one to throw a bucket of water on Scott.

“Overall, the program was very successful,” Stockton said.

“Our goal is to encourage and motivate students to be life-long readers and to have a love for reading.”