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FLORENCE: Riverfront students win visit from Phanatic

The Philly Phanatic made an appearance at the Riverfront Middle School in Florence on Monday. A fourth-grade class won a reading contest in the “Be a Phanatic about Reading” program sponsored by the Philadelphia Philles to encourage kids to read. The class that read the most from October to December won a visit from the mascot. Over 120 school districts in the New Jersey/ Pennsylvania area have been apart of the program since it began.
The “Be a Phanatic about Reading” Program is a reading contest, supported by the Philadelphia Phillies and Verizon, has reached hundreds of thousands of children since it started in 2004. The program began as a way for children to enjoy reading while having a fun-loving character to encourage them.  In order to be apart of the program, the students are required to read at least 15 minutes a day or be read to for 15 minutes a day for younger children.  
Teachers from any school district can sign their students up to participate in the contest.  Students are given a reading log and are to record how many minutes they are reading each night over a two month period.  The students also receive magnets and bookmarks before they begin the program just for participating.  Teachers can enter their students at any time throughout the year and participate all year long if they wish.  The Phillie Phanatic comes to the winning school and is the special guest for a school-wide assembly.
Ms. Pezzuto’s class began the program in the beginning of October.  They recorded their reading up until the beginning of December.  With the help of their parents, the students became responsible for their reading and were asked to have their parents sign their reading log each night.  Although only 15-20 minutes of reading were required each night back in October, many students exceeded that expectation and read over the required amount not only on school nights, but on the weekends too!  The class also completed a "Phanatic about Reading" book report which was displayed in their hallway so that the entire school community could learn more about great books.