Middle school staff good sports at book fair

To help raise funds for the library and promote literacy, members of the Tucumcari Middle School staff took a page out of the book "How to Eat Fried Worms."

With the chants of support from students and parents, Principal Lendall Borden, Teacher Bryan Dunlap and Custodian Jodee Vargas ate a hot dog covered in processed worms.

The three staff members ate the hot dog during the main event of the Enchanted Forest Book Fair on March 9 at the Tucumcari Middle School.

"The staff have been so supportive and great sports about taking part in this event," said Yolanda Aragon, middle school Librarian.

Aragon said the book fair is the only fundraiser the library has during the year. She said the funds go towards the purchase of equipment for the library.

"It was something different," Dunlap said. "I may regret eating the worms later, but it was for a good cause."

Dunlap joked with the crowd of students who were chanting "eat it," as others yelled, "this may affect your final grade."

Borden said the students have been looking forward to this event all week long. He said no one knew exactly what kind of bug they were going to eat; they just knew it'd be with a hot dog.

"The worms had a strange texture and were chewy," Vargas said.

Along with the money raised by the staff, the middle school book fair featured games and events that students and family took part in through the purchase of tickets.

These games included ring tosses, a cake walk and basketball shoot. The staff and students converted part of the middle school into a haunted enchanted forest.

Several of the students sang songs during the event, including sixth grader D'Naylie Rivera singing "Calling all the Monsters" by China Anne McClain.

"The song just fit with our theme of Enchanted Forest and monsters," Rivera said.