It's not unusual to see her coasting down the halls on a scooter, enticing kids to read and tally more points. Four scooters donated by school adopter Regions Bank are propped up high for all to see just inside the school's entrance. The top boy and girl readers in two age divisions claim them at the end of the year. At the pajama pizza party in March, held for the students with the most points, Toarmina embarked on one of her many scooter rides. The kids ate it up, applauding and giggling as she maneuvered through the aisles of the cafeteria.
Nobody gets to ride it today.
For most, it doesn't stop there. She rarely puts one down, even during class. And a table of second-graders in Baxter's class often pull out books when they've finished an assignment. But the biggest incentive may be the school goal of points set at the beginning of the year. Students voted earlier in the semester to make a swimsuit-clad Toarmina take a seat in a dunk tank.