Citrus: Mothers receive their own 'bundle of joy'

Mothers receive their own 'bundle of joy'

At a Mother's Day breakfast served by Joe Mattingly's second-grade class at Hernando Elementary, some mothers are moved to tears.

By PAULETTE LASH RITCHIE

HERNANDO -- The mothers who attended a Mother's Day breakfast last Friday served by Joe Mattingly's second grade class at Hernando Elementary School probably were not expecting to become mothers again in the space of a couple of hours, but each of them left holding a new "bundle of joy."

This "baby" was similar in length and weight to each mom's second-grader when he or she was newborn. The parents had provided that information without knowing the reason. These new babies were made of socks (and vanilla-scented trash bags) filled with rice and sand.

"We tried just sand," said Mattingly, 39, "but it was just a big mass. It had no life."

The breakfast program began with student Corey Rabold, 8, reading Tell Me a Story, Mama by Angela Johnson in Mattingly's classroom. Then everyone moved to the stage in the cafeteria, which was set up like a little restaurant. Mothers and guests, who included School Board members Sandra "Sam" Himmel and Pat Deutschman, chose items from a menu and were served muffins, bagels, sausage and biscuits by the students.

Several students wore blue T-shirts decorated with University of Florida Gators from a recent field trip to Gainesville. The shirts had "I'm one of the "Matt' Bunch" for their teacher on the back.

Before the end of the program, physical education teacher Pat Rundio read Love You Forever, a story about a mother's love. Several mothers wiped away tears at the end of the touching story. The children's story is such a tear-jerker that tissues were passed out beforehand.

Mattingly thanked the businesses that helped sponsor the event, Citrus Well-drilling, Kmart, Accent Tile and Winn-Dixie food stores.

Mattingly is leaving Hernando Elementary, where he has taught for 17 years, to join the faculty at Forest Ridge, the county's newest elementary school, next school year.

Students' stories become books

CITRUS SPRINGS -- About six weeks ago first-grade teachers Alice Pendergast and Geri Lennard started a writing project with their students which culminated with an Author's Tea last Friday at Citrus Springs Elementary. During the event 34 children read their stories to a room full of parents and guests. "Happy Mother's Day" was written in big chalk letters across the blackboard.

The subjects of the stories ranged from a bologna-eating alligator to cats, horses and skunks. A popular theme was mothers, as in My Mom, by Kristi Stokes, 6.

"My mom is beautiful. Her name is Vicki. She got a perm. I think it is great. She is terrific. She got a hamster. Her name is Precious. She loves her. She is very nice. I love my mom."

Nicole Collins, 6, also wrote a story about her mom. "I love my mom a lot. She's nice to me. She's pretty. We are friends. I don't talk back. We love each other. I love living with her. She is fantastic. She thinks I'm pretty. She watches movies with me. She is wonderful."

The children, Lennard said, wrote, illustrated, edited and rewrote their stories. They constructed the covers from cereal boxes, wallpaper and book binding tape. The results were pretty, personal books that each child could take home and keep.