Lima City Schools are preparing for state testing, and one school is pumping up its students in a very big way.
Friday afternoon, third and fourth graders from Unity Elementary School gathered in the gymnasium full of energy and anticipation for their state tests that begin next week. Students from Lima West Middle School then put on a pep rally to help prepare the students for their big challenge ahead of them. The pep rally included some innovative cheers, a hula hoop competition between grades, and a dance-off between students and teachers. Lima West cheerleaders, band and drumline led the rally, as they hope that this spirit will carry over into next week.
"When I got the call from the West band and the West cheerleaders, I thought awesome," said Tricia Winkler, principal of Unity Elementary. "It would be something wonderful because our third graders look forward to it. Because they see what happens when they're in second grade and that whole premises of 'Pass that test, you can do it.' It's just something that gives them that extra oomph, and we believe in you."
The students begin their English and language arts testing next week. They will then have about a month to prepare for the math tests that begin in May.
