West students become 'Hollimon's Heroes'

By Staff
Rebecca James, Franklin County Times
West Elementary School is honoring their students for achieving goals when it comes to reading.
Beginning this semester, Reading Coach Deanna Hollimon began an incentive program to encourage her students to work harder to achieve their goals at reading.
West Elementary was recently named an Alabama Reading Initiative School, and Hollimon began the program as incentive to encourage the students to work harder on their reading skills.
Hollimon has served West Elementary as an educator for the past 19 years, and was named as an Alabama Reading Coach last year.
"Reading should be such a priority." Hollimon said, "We want the kids to read for enjoyment, because reading is such an important skill."
Students that meet their goals in reading become "Hollimon's Heroes" and get to go to different special events once a month.
This month was no exception. Coach David Ward, head coach of the Russellville High School baseball team, offered the students free passes to last Friday's doubleheader baseball game. Over one hundred students from Hollimon's Heroes attended the game and were honored for their achievements.
"The children were honored in between the two games for their achievements, and even got to run a lap around the bases as their names were called."
"The children were so excited about the game." Said Hollimon, "It was wonderful to have someone outside of our school working with us."