Sandy Hook School Students

Meet The ‘Challenge’

By Larissa Lytwyn

Summer is a time for playing, vacationing, reading… and doing schoolwork?

Hundreds of Sandy Hook Elementary School students grades 1–4 took part in the Summer Challenge program this year, a carefully designed curriculum first created by Sandy Hook School faculty, including math and reading specialists, more than five years ago.

Students who completed the entire packet were entered into a special lottery. Two girls and two boys were drawn to enjoy a special, celebratory lunch with Principal Donna Pagé.

From the approximately 65 students who finished the packet, David Bauch, Lyndsay Fuori, Vikrim MacKayee, and Hannah Maret won the opportunity to be taken to lunch.

“Each year we do something a little bit different,” said Ms Pagé. “This year, the administration suggested the lunch.”

The students, however, did not know about the lunch until after they had submitted their packets.

“It was just icing on the cake!” said Ms Pagé.

“[The packet] helped me learn how to read,” said David Bauch, a first grader.

“It was something to do when we were bored,” noted third grader Vikrim MacKayee.

“The students were really self-motivated,” said Ms Pagé. The school, she continued, has also gotten a lot of support from parents, many of who would like to see the program sustained.

“We very it a little bit each year,” said Ms Pagé. “I hope the rewards of doing it motivates more and more students to participate each summer!”

There is no stopping the “Challenge.”

Past winners, after all, can participate again the following summer.

“I’m definitely doing it again next year!” declared Vikrim.

His classmates whooped in agreement, smiling and proudly sipping their soft drinks.