E. Rochester School students have blast at spaced-themed math and literacy night

Nicole Merrigan, Carissa Ryan, and Kristy Croft were a few of the fabulous teachers who made Math and Literacy Night spectacular. They are shown here with two students in a cardboard cutout of a rocket ship. (Courtesy Rochester Public Schools)

ROCHESTER - More than 200 students and family members participated in an out-of-this-world space-themed Math and Literacy Night at East Rochester School.

On Thursday, March 16, students and family members enjoyed a space-themed version of the school's Title I Family Fun Nights with a focus on math and literacy.

Participants built marshmallow constellations, played math games, created alien bookmarks and played space syllable puzzles and a game called Alien vs. Earth Words. A telescope was also set up to give participants a chance to gaze at real constellations in the sky.

Lance Davis, manager of the University of New Hampshire Observatory, was also on hand to display photographs from the observatory.

The evening was an extension of the East Rochester School's space-themed math fact fluency challenge, in which students from kindergarten through fifth grade practice their fact fluency skills over three weeks in February.

The first student in each class who completed the challenge received prizes, and two lucky students were awarded tickets to take their families to the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium. The Planetarium donated the tickets to the East Rochester School.

"This was a highly educational and incredibly fun evening for students and parents to learn and enjoy themselves together with East Rochester School faculty and staff," said Principal Andrea Lancey. "I am over the moon about how this evening turned out and all the fun that was had. We truly had a blast."