Trent Park Elementary

📚✨ Guest Reader Alert! ✨📚

Yesterday, we were excited to welcome Mrs. Gatchel, Director of Student Programs, as our special guest reader! 🎉

She shared the fun and engaging story I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff, a book that highlights the power of persuasive writing, effective communication, and seeing things from another person’s perspective. 🦎💭✍️

This was the perfect book because our summer readers read a non-fiction text about ways that bonobo chimpanzees, specifically on named Kanzi, learned to communicate. We were also able to make connections with the communication board on our playground!

Thank you for spending time with our summer readers and helping them make connections between books and real world experiences!

📚✨ Guest Reader Alert! ✨📚

Yesterday, we were excited to welcome Mrs. Smith from the Exceptional Children’s Department as our special guest reader! 🎉

She shared the inspiring story The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires, a wonderful book about creativity, perseverance, problem-solving, and not giving up when things don’t go as planned. 💡🛠️

After the story, students put their imaginations to work and designed their very own “most magnificent thing!” 🎨✨

Thank you, Mrs. Smith, for sharing your time, your energy, and your love of learning with our summer readers!

Camp Connections: Rising 3rd Grade Readers

Our Rising 3rd Grade Readers read a story about bikes and bike repair. To help bring the story to life, we invited Flythe’s Bike Shop to visit with our students.

Students learned more about different parts of a bike, how bikes work, and ways to take care of them. It was a great connection between reading and real-world learning!

🎉Guest Reader Alert🎉
We are excited to welcome guest readers during the last week of Summer Reading Camp!

Yesterday, Dr. Sellers, Executive Director of Secondary Education for Craven County Schools, and Mrs. Gifford, Executive Director of Craven County Partners In Education, joined us to share the love of reading with our students!
We can’t wait to see who else stops by this week!

🐅📚 Lunch + Books = A Perfect Summer Day! ☀️
Did you know that Trent Park Elementary is a Summer Meals site? Children and teens 18 and under can enjoy FREE breakfast (8:00 AM - 9:00AM) and lunch (11:00 AM - 12:00 AM) all summer long—no registration or ID required!
While you’re here for lunch, be sure to stop by our Tiger Summer Lending Library! 📖
🐾 Take a Book
🐾 Leave a Book
🐾 Love it? Keep it!
🐾 Grab another one next time you visit!
Reading throughout the summer helps students stay sharp, build vocabulary, and get ready for a successful school year. Whether your child is an avid reader or just discovering a love of books, there’s something waiting for them!
🍎 Free Summer Meals
📚 Free Books
🐅 Tiger Pride
We can’t wait to see our Tigers this summer!
🧡🖤📚☀️

Camp Connection: Rising Fourth Grade Readers

Our Rising Fourth Grade students recently read a passage about cursive writing. As students explored the text, they discussed how handwriting is a skill that improves with practice and how different forms of writing can be used to express ideas.

To make learning even more engaging, we took our lesson outside! Students grabbed sidewalk chalk and put their new learning into action by practicing cursive letters, words, and phrases on the pavement.

The outdoor setting gave students an opportunity to move, collaborate, and practice their cursive writing in a fun and creative way. It was exciting to see their confidence grow as they carefully formed letters and encouraged one another along the way.

Experiences like these help students see that learning can happen anywhere. By connecting reading, writing, creativity, and movement, our campers discovered that literacy skills extend far beyond the classroom walls.

Camp Connection: Rising Third Grade Readers

Our Rising Third Grade students recently read a passage about music and the many ways people create and enjoy it. As they explored the text, students learned about musical instruments and how musicians work together to create different sounds.

To bring their learning to life, we welcomed Mr. Lorek, Director of Bands at Grover C. Fields Middle School, as a special guest. Mr. Lorek introduced students to the woodwind and brass instrument families and shared how each instrument produces sound.

Students had the opportunity to see and hear several instruments in action, including the trombone, trumpet, flute, clarinet, and saxophone. Mr. Lorek demonstrated each instrument, explained its unique characteristics, and showed students how musicians use air, embouchure, and technique to create music.

Our campers were highly engaged and asked thoughtful questions about the instruments, how long it takes to learn to play, and what it is like to be a musician. Mr. Lorek did a wonderful job answering their questions and inspiring curiosity about music and the performing arts.

Experiences like this help students see that reading is more than words on a page—it is a gateway to discovering new interests, learning from experts, and making meaningful connections to the world around them.

Camp Connection: Rising Fourth Grade Readers

Our Rising Fourth Grade students recently read a text about wildlife and the habitats animals need to survive and thrive. As they explored the important relationship between animals and their environments, students discussed how humans can help protect wildlife and preserve natural habitats.

To deepen their learning, we welcomed representatives from the Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter -OWLS, a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organization serving the Crystal Coast from its home in Newport, North Carolina. Students learned about the organization’s mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and release injured and orphaned wildlife.

Because great learning is even better when shared, our Rising Fourth Grade readers invited our Rising Third Grade friends to join them for this special experience.

The highlight of the visit was meeting a very special guest—Pearl, OWLS’ ambassador Eastern Screech Owl! Students had the opportunity to learn about owl adaptations, behaviors, and the important role these fascinating birds play in healthy ecosystems.

Owls help control pest populations and serve as indicators of environmental health, but many species face challenges due to habitat loss, climate change, and human activity. Through this experience, students gained a deeper appreciation for wildlife conservation and the importance of protecting the habitats that animals call home.

Learning comes alive when students can connect what they read to the world around them, and this was certainly a memorable Camp Connection for both our Rising Third and Rising Fourth Grade campers!

One of the best parts of reading is making connections between what we read and the world around us. During Summer Reading Camp, our team is working hard to provide students with meaningful opportunities to connect stories and informational texts to real-life experiences. We are excited to share our new Camp Connections series with you!

Camp Connection: Rising Third and Fourth Grade Readers

Our Rising Third Grade students recently read a text that focused on the importance of caring for and improving the community. After discussing the story’s theme, students learned about the important work of the Colonial Capital Humane Society and the role it plays in supporting animals and families in our community.

The Humane Society recently invited community members to help brighten their campus by donating painted rocks. Inspired by what they learned, our Rising Third Grade students designed and painted rocks to contribute to this project. We were honored to welcome a representative from the Colonial Capital Humane Society to Summer Reading Camp and present our creations to her. The rocks will join many others displayed on their campus.

Inspired by this opportunity to give back, our Rising Fourth Grade students joined the project by helping beautify Trent Park Elementary. Students painted our spirit rock with colorful designs celebrating summer and the joy of reading.

Through activities like these, students are strengthening their reading skills while discovering how literacy helps us better understand, connect with, and contribute to our community.