Braden River Elementary students throw wet sponges at principals as reward for summer work
EAST MANATEE -- In matching T-shirts, Hayley Rio and Samantha Webb sat side-by-side in folding chairs under the hot sun outside Braden River Elementary School, waiting. Between them was a white bucket, filled with water and squirt guns.
Only a few feet away from the principal and assistant principal were two lines of students, ready and waiting to throw water-soaked sponges at the administrators, a reward for completing academic coursework over the summer.
"Today's our day to hold true to our word," Rio said.
The students who completed the summer work also earned a T-shirt. "The kids really enjoy the opportunity to get out and do something different. It also gives us an opportunity to just have some fun with them and interact with them in a different light than we sometimes get to do."
Each child got to throw a total of four sponges at the administrators, who fired back with their own squirt guns and ran around hugging children who hadn't gotten quite wet enough during the throwing period.
Almost 350 students, about half of the total student body, completed work during the summer to be
eligible for the activities Friday.
Madilyn Gemme, 10 and a fifth-grade student at Braden River Elementary, said this was her first time throwing a sponge at a principal. She said she wasn't nervous when stepping up to the line.
"I was ready," she said.
Madilyn said it's good to do work over the summer, even if they don't get a reward, because it shows teachers the students are working hard.
Jack Mowrey, also 10 and in fifth-grade, said he did a lot of work with his notebook during the summer, including some math and science assignments.
"It was pretty much what you do at school," he said.
Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081.
This story was originally published September 5, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Braden River Elementary students throw wet sponges at principals as reward for summer work ."