There was a great cheer and applause when the Fishcreek Elementary School’s Principal Julie Obraza kept her word and kissed a llama to celebrate the 1,087,175 minutes of reading by the school’s students this year.

A third grader of Fishcreek Elementary School reading a book

May 31 of this year made an indelible memory when the Principal of Fishcreek Elementary School approached Llama to imprint her indelible kiss as a historical mark in the annals of the school history. Hundreds of parents gathered at the school to share their joy with their kids. Genine Bednarski, owner of Canterbury Farm, an alpaca farm in Hudson, brought Llama and an alpaca to make this occasion historical and exciting.

A kiss worth one million and 87 thousand minutes

One million 87 thousand and hundred and seventy-five minutes reading may not equal just a five-second smooch, shared by Fishcreek school’s principal and Llama. But the incentive that the kiss imparted in the hearts of the little kids was greater than anything else.

According to the local newspaper Stow Sentry, it was “One million minutes for a five-second smooch.” It was just a fancy thought when in the beginning of the scholastic year Fishcreek Elementary School’s principal Julie Obraza announced this novel idea that she would do something kind of crazy and unique to reward them for their reading efforts. Obraza and her staff kept it as a surprise for the whole academic year. “And we kept that as a surprise all year long,” said the principal at the function.

It was a challenging mission to make the children read books. On a “Mission Impossible” theme event Obraza had sent students a note in a video at the beginning of the scholastic year, saying all students had to do to accomplish their mission was to read 16 minutes each night, Mondays through Thursdays, and that they would be rewarded for their efforts. And her students obliged her. Her staff cooperated with her. Parents encouraged all. And the “impossible mission” was achieved.

Exciting Kiss

The “llama kissing” idea came from the teachers in the Million Minute Mission Committee when they met this year, Obraza said. “They kind of decided that would be a fun and yet engaging way to keep students on board,” Stow Sentry reported, quoting the words of Obraza.

“Suddenly lips and llamas started to decorate the school’s wall and the children figured out what was going to take place at their school,” reported Stow Sentry.

The “llama-kissing ceremony” was really exciting. At the scheduled minute, the principal kissed llama for the Million Minute Mission celebration, amidst of the great excitement of her students.  

As the counting minutes kept moving toward the goal, the school recognized top readers from every grade level and top classrooms every month and two third grades dominated the “Monthly Millionaires” throughout the year, Obraza said.

An incessant effort

It was a great effort to motivate the students. Teachers had an incessant effort in reminding the students every now and then.

“Motivating them to read builds their skills and comprehension and helps them through their life,” proudly said the third grade teacher Deb Miller, whose class won the Monthly Millionaires five times in a row.