On Nov. 17 Clearview Elementary School held their first annual Clearview Elementary Prize Patrol to reward students who turned off the TV and tuned into reading.
To honor participating students, the Prize Patrol Team — comprised of school librarian Josephine Delaney, reading specialist Sheila Walker, assistant principal Suzi Powell and assistant librarian Eddie Mae Walker — surprised selected houses between 6 and 8 p.m.
While Walker videotaped their every move, the Prize Patrol piled out of the van and tiptoed up to the house to
determine if they could hear or see a TV on.
If the Prize Patrol team caught the child reading and the TV turned off, the student was presented with a bouquet of balloons, a large certificate — similar to the Publisher's Clearinghouse Prize Patrol check — and a basket filled with age-appropriate books, crayons, educational games and writing utensils.
Seven out of the eight homes visited had children that were "caught" reading.
The event was such a success Clearview is considering expanding the program in the spring to have more than one prize patrol team.