Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Santa Peruna visits RISD schools with gifts and good advice
Santa Peruna visits Richardson schools to encourage reading over the holidays.
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Scenes from Santa Peruna's Visit
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DALLAS (Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ) –Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ's Santa Peruna recently visited two Richardson schools, bringing gifts, healthy snacks and important reminders to students: "Keep reading over the holidays" and "go to college."
Each student received a book from Half-Price Books, healthy snacks from the North Texas Food Bank and backpacks, pencils and bookmarks from Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, as well as lots of good cheer at fun-filled assemblies.
The visits coincided with college and reading incentives at Richardson Independent School District elementary schools Forest Lane Academy and Thurgood Marshall. Sponsors included Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, Half Price Books, North Texas Food Bank and Dallas Public Libraries.
Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ graduates and former Mustang football players Uzooma Okeke and Eric Neal spoke to Forest Lane Academy students about the importance of working hard in school at a wrap up of the school's college week. Okeke, a 1992 communications major, is a Canadian Football League Hall of Famer and scout for the Montreal Alouettes. Neal, a 2005 economics graduate, is a Dallas commercial banker.
At Thurgood Marshall Elementary, students who read for 20 minutes a day for 20 consecutive days were treated to a book-themed carnival, complete with a book walk, cookie decorating, bookmark making and photos with Santa Peruna. Students went home with new books and backpacks filled with apples as a reward for their good work.
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Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ is a nationally ranked private university in Dallas founded 100 years ago. Today, Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ enrolls approximately 11,000 students who benefit from the academic opportunities and international reach of seven degree-granting schools.