By Joe Olenick<br><a href="mailto:olenickj@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Joe</a>
You would need a lot of ingredients to make a cake from scratch. But to turn a principal into a cake, just add some kids who like to read.
In front of the kindergarten, first- and second-graders of Fricano Primary School, Principal Bonnie Calamita was turned into a cake Wednesday. It was the latest reading incentive offered by Calamita, who has done a number of unusual things over the years to encourage Starpoint students to meet their reading goal. Wednesday’s cake creation was the reward for the school, as the Fricano kids hit their Parents As Reading Partners mark of 150,000 minutes read.
PARP is a three-week program that encourages kids to read at home, which is what they had to do at least 20 minutes every day for the past three weeks. Turning Calamita into a cake was a little extra encouragement, too.
“I love to see kids get excited about reading; if I can do something to help motivate them I will,” Calamita said. “They’ll need to be strong readers, no matter what the career is.”
The Fricano kids were certainly excited Wednesday. Before the cake was made, educational entertainer Glenn Colton performed a number of songs, including the “Ducky Wucky” song. Kids liked the song, as seen when they sang along and danced. Colton even donated his book, “Mr. Ducky Wucky — The Wonderful Secret,” to Fricano’s library.
Aside from the music and reminding kids how important and fun reading was, Colton had a few jokes for the crowd. One in particular involved what was said to a cowboy by Luke Skywalker from the first Star Wars trilogy of movies.
“He told the cowboy, ‘May the horse be with you,’” was Colton’s punchline, echoing the familiar line, “May the Force be with you” from the movies.
Art teacher Patrick Root said each student who fulfilled the challenge got to stamp a sprinkle on a cardboard cake. If it were filled, then Calamita would come through on her promise to become a cake, an idea that was born of the school’s PARP committee.
“We’re lucky she’s a good sport,” Root said. “The PARP participation has been 100 percent. It’s all they talked about.”
The main event actually included the making of three cakes. Starpoint teachers Todd Conklin and Kevin Caputi tried to make a birthday cake, as did Jeff Tracy. But the third cake would be made by “Mr. Bear,” who gives the morning announcements at Fricano. Mr. Bear’s main ingredient was Calamita, who would soon be covered by eggs, milk, two big bags of flour, sugar and frosting. Calamita was topped off with some sprinkles. Mr. Bear’s cake was chosen the winner by the applause of the Fricano student body.
For the past six years Calamita has given her students an extra incentive to read. Her track record includes kissing a cow, getting slimed, being turned into a hamburger, becoming a Jackson Pollock painting and being turned into a mummy last year. But it’s been working.
“They’ve exceeded it every year,” Calamita said.
And fittingly, Fricano students were given a piece of real cake at lunch Wednesday.
Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.
