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I am so very excited!

Four years ago we purchased a program called Accelerated Reader, which allows us, among many other things, to track the word count of each of our scholars.  Thus, our Million Word Readers (MWR) program was born.  The goal is for each student to read a million words by the end of the school year, as per the California State Standard for grade 8.  Each year has been more  successful than the one prior.  I love the excitement it generates, and it's all around reading.

For the last two years, I have been in charge of this program.  The first year I found funds to purchase t-shirts for those amazing readers who were able to read a million words by the end of first semester.  Think about what that means: middle school kids reading that many, many books.  It's a pretty amazing accomplishment to read a million words in a year--much less, a semester.  The shirts were adorable, with a Where the Wild Things Are motif on a lime green shirt.  Last year, with new funds, we got The Very Hungry Caterpillar t-shirts--also full of cuteness; we had SO many readers that I had to order a second.  Luckily, this was just when the company that I order from unveiled it's newest design: Harry Potter.  I got these in black and purple, mostly because I liked them both so much I couldn't choose between them.  Here they are.  Aren't they just so cute?

Over this past summer I got an email from the company that I order from.  To be honest, I don't usually read email like that because, really, who has time?  But for whatever reason I opened it, and felt a sudden moment of shock when I saw the t-shirt that they offered.  I had to take a moment to just breathe. I was immediately thrilled!  I decided right then and there that we had to have those shirts!  Of course, I moved heaven and earth (and heartily annoyed Dr. Joyce in the process) to get it.  We were able to order just 50.

Well, they came, and here, in this very email, I'd like to showcase the new Daniel Webster Middle School 2011 - 2012 Million Word Reader Shirt:

Modeled by our very own Ms. Orendorff, of P.E. department and MWR fame.

Can you see him?  Can you see it?  No?  Here's a close-up:

YES, it's THE SCARECROW from THE WIZARD OF OZ!  Which, if you have ever set foot in my library, you'll know is MY FAVORITE!!!!!!  And he's dancing down the Yellow Brick Road! Under a rainbow!  With a book!!!!!!!  I am so excited!  There are going to be Webster scholars walking around with this blue shirt on for the next three years!

(I'm trying so hard not to write "OMG!!!!!",  I can't stand it!)

Um.  Excuse me for a moment.

*  *  *

Ok, I'm back from jumping up and down in excitement.  Teacherly decorum, you know.  *ahem*

In any case, I'm off to go find my book, because I NEED that shirt.  Need.  There is one with my name on it that I'll wear as soon as I reach 1 million words.  Then I'll model it and make students want, want, want it so badly that they'll get to a million words just to get the t-shirt.  Yep.  That's exactly what I'll do.

Happy Reading!