Blair Mill Students Surpass 1 Million-Minute Goal

His name is Tim. Tim Traveler. After making his way through a makeshift time machine Thursday, Traveler, err Gary Lloyd, wowed students with his history-meets-exaggeration rendition of "tall tales."

Lloyd's storytelling was the reward for the school's 400 students reaching - and surpassing - their goal to read for a total of 1 million minutes by the end of March.

For the past several years, the school has challenged its students and families to read for 1 million minutes, which encourages healthy reading habits and promotes literacy. Students began this year’s reading challenge — “Reading Through Time” — in January after an assembly program, where educators celebrated the school’s past, present and future reading accomplishments.

Following that kick off event, kindergarten through fifth-grade students logged their reading minutes. Students brought their “Reading Through Time” calendars to school every Monday, so that teachers could count the minutes and celebrate the progress that had been made that week.

During two assemblies Thursday, Lloyd, brought to life tales of Paul Bunyon and other historical figures as students listened with awe, surprise and curiosity.