Chicago Heights School District 170's Washington-McKinley School recently hosted students, their families, and friends at its annual Family Reading Night in the school's gymnasium.
Primary grade students and their parents and guests participated in an evening filled with reading experiences that centered on the theme of "Experimenting with Non-Fiction Reading."
The event featured science-themed activities with each grade level represented by a mini-science fair project that was explained and demonstrated by teachers and students.
All the attendees enjoyed the student-involved array of experiments that demonstrated the complete scientific process of each activity.
A highlight of the evening was an interactive presentation by Mad Science of Chicago called "Up, Up and Away."
Mad Science of Chicago is a leading science education enrichment provider that delivers unique, hands-on science experiences for children through innovative programs that are as entertaining as they are educational.
"The goal of our Family Reading Night celebration is to instill in our students and their families both a love of reading and an understanding of the importance of reading as an essential component of academic success," said Washington-McKinley Principal Dr. Gretchen Sutherland.
"The superb collaborative effort by our teachers and staff was an essential element in securing such an amazing turnout of students and their families, and engendering all-important community involvement in our school," she continued.
Reading Specialists Carmen Del Toro and Maricay Entsminger were thrilled with the evening's success.
"With each succeeding year, the diligence and dedication of the Washington-McKinley School staff are validated by the success of the Family Reading Night," Del Toro said.
"The excitement generated throughout the evening was a testament to the commitment by our staff to highlight the importance of reading both in school and at home," Entsminger added.
Sutherland ended her assessment of the evening by acknowledging those who made the evening such a success.
"The commitment of our teachers and staff to secure the support and involvement of families as an essential component of the learning process will make a tremendous difference in maximizing our students' learning experience," she said.
"The joy on the faces of the children brought a ray of sunshine during a stressful time for our school and country. Each year our staff go above and beyond to provide a fun evening of learning for our students and their families."