News release
The long-anticipated return to live school assemblies with guest speakers arrived at Sky Blue Mesa School recently with the appearance of local author Carole Cliffe.
Students were excited to meet in person a children’s author who came to celebrate with Read Across America, which is observed throughout the month of March. The event was coordinated by Principal Diana Vides and PTO President Michelle Alfonso.
Students in kindergarten through second grade were entertained by Cliffe’s “Alowishes Unusual Birthday” book, which teaches responsibility.
“The eye-catching illustrations and creative rhyme captivated the students’ interest,” according to a statement released by Cliffe. “The rhyming lines throughout the book resonated with the students. They were thrilled when they got to see the animal puppets that went along with the story characters, and to see their PTO president in full costume dressed as a lion, Alowishes, the main character in the book.”
Upper-grade students were read “Shaping up Your Character A-Z Mathematically,” where shapes such as Rita the Respectful Rectangle and Tony the Trustworthy Triangle illustrated positive character traits, along with geometric shapes combining math and morals.
In addition, students were read “Shaping Up a Rhyme One State at a Time.” The animated shape of each state along with the cadence from the rhymes helped students to learn more about America. Students from the audience were selected to name a state and point to it on a map of the U.S. A state was read and kids heard rhyming facts, and landmarks unique to that state.
The book helped students to understand unique cultures and ethnic differences in each diverse state. Students were engaged in a patriotic rap that went along with the book and was the culminating feature to this Read Across America event.
Cliffe’s books can be found on www.characterbuildingconcepts.com or Amazon.
