Reading, writing, and arithmetic are the fundamentals of early education.
For the first 'R', Canada holds an annual event to help support reading and literacy among students and their families.
Carlyle Elementary School (CES) joined the nation and the province to celebrate National Family Literacy Day on Thursday, Jan. 27.
The 18th annual Family Literacy Day followed the theme of 'Play for Literacy,' and included a sports aspect to the event.
In Carlyle, as well as Manor, the elementary students were visited by members of the Estevan Bruins, brought into the communities thanks to the support of Eagle Drilling.
The members of the hockey team were brought to the front of an assembly at CES to read from Robert Munsch's 'Just One Goal!'
Following the readings, the winner's of the Terry Fox Run fundraising challenge from the autumn of 2010 were called to the front of the assembly.
The challenge, offered to the top fundraisers, allowed the students to select a teacher of their choice, and pie the poor educator with a creamy torte.
Katie Wilson called to the front Justine Stephenson, Jayda Kyle summoned Evan Bloomfield, and Taylor Sargent brought forth vice-principal Kelly Currie.
Sitting on stage facing the school assembly, the teachers were given garbage-bag smocks to wear, while the grinning and giggling winners approached their selected targets.
Katie Wilson took the first stab at Ms. Stephenson, happily burying the cream pie into Stephenson's face.
Next up, Jayda Kyle took pains to ensure Bloomfield got the full effect of her cream pie.
Following this, Taylor Sargent came forward.
Pausing for a moment in front of Currie, Taylor was supported by a loud scream of approval as she deliberately delivered a cream pie into Currie's face, making sure to give it a couple of good twists after it was planted.
As an added bonus, Jayson Corrigan, who will soon be departing CES, was brought up on stage for a pie.
Selected to deliver the honour was Katie Wilson.
Again, the slow approach garnished with girlish giggles, ended abruptly with the teacher looking a tad pale, his face white with cream pie.
"They look like Phantom of the Opera," exclaimed CES student Matthew Broughton. "Their faces are all white, just like the Phantom!"
With this dubious send off to a teacher who will be missed, the student's assembly was ended, and some of the classes were sent to their rooms.
There, several of the classes were joined by members of the Bruins, who sat down to take part in the Family Literacy Day activities with the students.
Those classes that remained behind in the gymnasium were invited to take part in a floor-hockey match, with members of the Estevan Bruins sprinkled evenly between the teams.
After an hour, those studentswho were in classrooms traded places with those in the gym for a chance to try their hand at floor hockey.
