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Watson students experience Polar Express
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Neighbors | Natalie Scott.First-grade students, from left, Nathaniel Parker, Madison Snyder, and Seth George, enjoyed cookies that were shaped an decorated to look like a ticket to get on the Polar Express and hot cocoa after listening to the story at Watson Elementary School Dec. 14.
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Neighbors | Natalie Scott.Carley Rivera wore her pajamas to the Polar Express event at Watson Elementary School Dec. 14, in which Senator Joe Schiavoni read the book to a classroom of first-grade students.
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Neighbors | Natalie Scott.Senator Joe Schiavoni begain reading The Polar Express to a classroom of first-grade students at Watson Elementary School Dec. 14.
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Neighbors | Natalie Scott.The first-grade classroom sat around Senator Schiavoni to listen to him read The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg at Watson Elementary School Dec. 14.
By NATALIE SCOTT
Students in one first-grade Watson Elementary School classroom were given a special Christmas treat Dec. 14 when Sen. Joe Schiavoni appeared at their school to read “The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg.
The class had first seen the movie and then had a day to experience “The Polar Express” in their own way, with train tickets, cookies and hot cocoa. To add to the effect of being a part of “The Polar Express,” students were asked to wear their pajamas to school, just like the children on the train.
When Schiavoni arrived, he first asked students to guess his job and what all his job entails. Students then had the chance to tell him what they had asked for from Santa Claus. Finally, the students settled down on their reading carpet and listened to Schiavoni read.
“I enjoy reading to the kids, especially when it’s stories that mean something,” said Schaivoni. “I like to read stories that really encourage children to love one another and enjoy their childhood because it passes way too quickly.”
Every student was given a bell and told that they should always believe in the magic of the holidays. Sugar cookies shaped and decorated to look like the tickets to get on the Polar Express were served with warm hot cocoa, complete with snowman-shaped whipped cream.
“I liked the story,” said Ben Miller, a first-grade student at Watson. “First they were on the train and went to the North Pole and they found Santa. It was a really good story.”