Pupils enjoy slime time at D.W. Long Elementary School

By SHELLI DeROBERTIS

A huge mixture of vanilla pudding, cornstarch, green food coloring and water was prepared for students at D.W. Long Elementary School in Fontana on Monday.

But the two buckets containing 36 gallons of ooey-gooey green stuff was not for them to eat.

Instead, two students had a chance to douse Principal Carol Alexander and Jill Reinheimer, the head teacher, while more than 700 of their peers cheered them on.

“It's slime time!” yelled the anxious crowd of students after fifth-graders Hector Solorzano and Megan Casillas reached the tops of their ladders, where they would drench the two adults who sat beneath them on a plastic-covered stage in the outdoor quad area.

But Alexander and Reinheimer were definitely prepared as they donned shower caps and plastic capes -- and for Reinheimer, even swimming goggles -- to shield themselves from the sticky liquid.

The event was held as a reward for a successful fundraiser in which students met their goal of reaching $7,000.

“They earned an extra $1,800,” Reinheimer said after she peeled off her slime protection gear.

She said she didn't mind being a target for the sliming. “If this is all it took to raise this kind of money?” She shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

The students had only three weeks to solicit donations from family members and friends and prepare for the Walk-A-Thon fundraiser, said Bonnie Rodrigues, the fundraiser chairperson for the PTA at Long.

She said the association sponsors two fundraisers each year to pay for events such as Open House, Science Night, Book Bingo, and various other programs.

On April 17 and 18, with the help of at least 50 PTA parents, the students walked laps for the fundraiser's theme, “Rev'd Up for Good Health,” Rodrigues said.

Megan Casillas and Hector Solorzano were each awarded $50 Visa gift cards for being the top girl and boy walkers among the 725 students.

“I just kept on walking really fast and told myself not to stop,” Megan said.

She said she completed 17 laps in about half an hour.

Hector was also focused and said he had practiced walking during the weeks before the Walk-A-Thon.

Money gift cards were given away to the top fundraisers from each grade, along with other prizes, including sports equipment.

Rodrigues said the fundraiser was the first of its kind and was held to support the city and district programs that emphasize eating healthy snacks and participating in family activities.

“The City of Fontana and the Etiwanda School District are getting more into a healthy approach,” she said.

The students at Long were prepared for the sliming event, which was Alexander's idea, but they did not know who would be chosen to do the sliming.

“At first I felt kind of nervous,” Hector said about learning in front of a school-wide audience that he would be drenching the principal in slime.

But “I felt excited when I started holding the bucket,” he said.

“I was really excited about it and knew they would love it,” Alexander said.

The event was also a fun way to relieve some of the tension during testing week, she said.

Reinheimer agreed that the event was exciting for the students.

“Any time kids have an opportunity to put something gooey on top of teachers -- they're going to love it,” she said.

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