Salisbury Elementary School second-grader Ashton Pincin's favorite book is "Dragons Love Tacos." Ashton was one of more than 330 children, including preschoolers through sixth-graders, who attended the seventh Read Under the Lights event at Pequea Valley High School (PVHS) on Oct. 3.

Of the 10 reading and activity stations located on the gridiron, Ashton said the one run by the football players was his favorite. Asked what he liked about the event, Ashton responded, "The games, the books, and the prizes."

Lisa Eckert, Pequea Valley School District (PVSD) director of early learning, said that the stations were manned by PVHS athletes, but that Karla Beiler, director of PVSD elementary advocacy, had devised the games, which all featured educational elements. "There's fishing for letters," said Eckert, gesturing to a station. "We have a duck and letter match. Some are literacy based, and some are counting." Activities cleverly combined educational exercises with physical movement. Members of the cross-country team guided children in completing a workout that designated a physical activity for each letter of a child's name. The football players oversaw an activity that combined hopscotch with a bean bag toss, but the athletes also endeavored to share their sport with younger learners, according to Eckert. As children and their 230 accompanying family members moved from station to station, they also worked to complete a scavenger hunt, which could earn each child a free ice cream at the snack stand.

Since the event was devoted to reading, books were a central focus of the evening. Eckert explained that as each child arrived, he or she received a bag with a ticket for a free book. "This is the book station," she said, pointing out a location along the sidelines at about the 25-yard line. Thirty minutes into the event, the line of children and parents waiting to pick a free book extended to the middle of the field. Eckert said about 150 students had preregistered for the event, which involved 70 athletes and 30 other volunteers. High school student-athletes at the stations paused to read aloud to children during a reading break, which was held for 10 minutes, but the athletes also read to children at other random intervals.

"It's a beautiful evening, and the parking lots are full," noted John Trovato, PVHS principal.

Rich Eby, PVSD superintendent, took to the field with microphone in hand to welcome attendees. Eby said encouraging the presence of books and reading activities in area homes is crucial to the district's long-term literacy goal of having 90% of local children reading by third grade and reading proficiently by fourth grade. "Kids who aren't reading proficiently by fourth grade are four times more likely to drop out of school and 10 times more likely to live in poverty," he noted. Eby reported that he had recently presented to the PVSD board how critical this goal is, adding that getting families of preschoolers interested in literacy is integral to the plan. "Ninety percent of the brain is developed by the age of 5," he explained pointing out that nationally only six of 10 parents read to their children each night. "(The presence of) books in the home and the vocabulary (children) hear has a lot to do with development," Eby stated. "(Read Under the Lights) is to celebrate literacy and foster family engagement in literacy with their children."

While the gift of literacy may be a reward in itself, Eckert noted that each child and parent in attendance received three tickets for door prizes donated by community members. Among the more than 20 prizes displayed on tables near one of the goal posts were gift cards, day passes to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, a Christmas health basket, and several baskets of fall decor items.

More information about the PVSD early learning program may be found by clicking on the "Early Learning" tab at http://www.pequeavalley.org.