Oak Mountain Middle School Students awarded for reading

Eleven boys from Oak Mountain Middle School were in for a big surprise when asked to listen to a special speaker last Wednesday.  They walked in to find a reception not for a speaker, but, instead, for them.

“We wanted to have this reception to celebrate their accomplishment,” teacher Sheryl Jones said. “To show that reading can be a positive force in their lives. And to praise them for this milestone.”

Reading has been challenging for the boys, so the faculty arranged a special celebration after they read Alabama Moon by Alabama native Watt Key. They also received an autographed copy of the book with a personal message from Key.

The young men are in Jones' Read 180 class, a collaborative literature class composed of general education and inclusion students.

The reception featured emotional speeches given by Jones and Principal Larry Haynes. “You are here today because I am very proud of you,” Jones said. “Most of you have accomplished something you had never accomplished before.  You read a 300-page book cover to cover and you enjoyed it. You read it with enthusiasm and didn’t get frustrated.  Everything you have done deserves a celebration."