Cato-Meridian Elementary School students ended the month of March with a sweet reward for their hard work, marking the successful completion of the school’s annual Pick a Reading Partner (P.A.R.P.) challenge.

Throughout the month, students were tasked with reading a collective 200,000 minutes, with the exciting incentive that if they met the goal, the top readers from each grade would have the chance to turn Elementary School Principal Danielle Mahoney into an ice cream sundae.

By the end of the month, students had met their goal. As promised, Mahoney found herself covered in whipped cream, hot fudge, sprinkles, and more as a fun, messy reward for the students’ achievement.

The Pick a Reading Partner initiative encourages students to read on a regular basis while also strengthening relationships with family members, friends, and teachers. Throughout the month, students were also able to enjoy various reading-related activities such as Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) time and Community Readers Week to keep them engaged.