BRINGING STORIES TO LIFE Scholars for Advancing and Learning (S \LT) was a pre-professional student organization that prO\·icled education majors ,,vith an opportunity to be in local schools and LO build networks among other teaching professionals. SALT was always i1wolvcd in various activities on campus and around the Searcy area, but a special one the organization participated in was reading Lo children at Sidney Deener Elementary in Searcy. Assistant professor of education Lisa Bryant said it was omething they had clone for m-cr four years. ·'Students get to pick thei r favorite children's book and pick what grade they want to read to," Bryant said. "After they've chosen their book, they get Lo surprise the children by dressing up in costume: that relate lo the book.'' According to Bryant, there were various fun and memorable outfits that were created for the activity, including students dressing up as piglrt for the book, "Give a Pig a Pancake,.. or even building part of a house to use while the students read the book. The students read to the childre1 on Halloween for the fall and on Valentine's Day in the spring. "The most important part is the enrichment activity afterward," Bryant said. "It gives teachers a break, and gives the education majors a planning, reading and follow-up teaching practice, as well." Senior , bby Sims was part of the activity for two years, and served as president of the or11;anization for three semesters. "It's so much more fun to dress up to read," Sims said. ·'The children By Fanny Bonilla get more excited about it." Reading at Sidney Deener Elementary was not the only activity SALT participated in.Junior Shelby Haltom was SALT's actiYities director for fall 2016, and said there were many things SALT was a part of. Some of the activities included organizing the senior banquet for graduating seniors of the Cannon-Clary College of Education, planning a national day of prayer for the entire campus, participating in Relay for Life and even fundraising through the Searcy Polar Plunge. Studcms were not 01ily able to serve the Searcy community through their activities, but they also reaped the many benefits of being part ofan organization like SALT. 'Tm not a special education major, so getting to experience the need for special education and the collaboration of all education majors is great," Haltom said. "The networking is the best part." The organization also volunteered for Special Olympics Arkansa~, which are hosted on Harding's campus every spring in May. The Special Olympics provided athletic training and competition to adult and children with various intellectual disabilities for the tate of Arkansas. Events included sports such as track, hasketball and even bowling. "It's so impactful to be part of Special Olympics," Sims said. "The children even wear their medals to schools, and months afterwards. They arc so excited and proud." }11n 1or A le.\ Burton and wphomore CaJSie H ouck drrss u/1 and read a sto~y Lo a group of stude11/.s at Sidne_v Deener Elfmen/a1:r school on Oct. 31. S.A. L. T was designed lo promote educatwn for children tltrouglz local schools by /uo1 iding idea workshops and training to local teachen. I Photo courtesy of Lisa B~vant
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