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Howard County (Map, News) - He’s 7 feet tall, sports a big bushel of red hair and wants children to enjoy reading.
Meet YoJo. The live cartoon character was played by Bromley Lowe, an entertainer who for more than 10 years entertained as the Baltimore Oriole.
Six years ago, he created YoJo to motivate children by using a high-energy mix of comedy, music and skits.
“As a kid, I didn’t appreciate reading at all ... I couldn’t stand it,” said Lowe, who resides in Hanover with his wife, Leslie, an educator in the Prince George’s County school system, and son, Bromley III.
“YoJo shows kids that reading is not only important, but a lot of fun,” he said.
One skit focuses on YoJo as a basketball player who makes it big in the NBA but doesn’t understand his contract.
Another one features him as someone only interested in watching TV and playing video games before learning that reading is important and fun.
YoJo recently performed at Running Brook Elementary School in Columbia to help boost reading scores on the Maryland School Assessment test.
The percent of Running Brook pupils who scored at the proficient level on the reading MSA increased from 72 in 2005 to 78 in 2006 — a trend school officials hope continues with YoJo’s help.
“This is part of my personal challenge, with Principal Lisa Booth, to try different strategies to improve student achievement,” Assistant Principal Troy Todd said.
“The show was great, and we’re looking forward to having him come back,” Booth said.
In February, YoJo will perform Ace the MSA for Running Brook as pupils prepare for the 2007 test.
“It’s going to help take some of the test anxiety out of the kids and get them excited about taking the test,” Todd said.
YoJo’s performance will also cover test-taking strategies and preparations before the test, including getting enough sleep and eating a healthy breakfast, Lowe said.
“We are sold out for this show,” he said.
tjohnson@baltimoreexaminer.com
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Examiner Reader said:
Lowell is in District 7, not District 4. Chu is calling for "legislation" to change SFUSD's enrollment process to factor in where you live as part of the process, but Chu doesn't even know that SFUSD already factors in address in the assignment process. Carmen Chu should read what the assignment system entails before trying to stir up angry parents in order to get elected to the seat she was appointed to by Newsom.
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Eric said:
This article dosen't surprise me, In King George County this last year after the SOL's the sixth grade math teacher said she didn't want to teach anymore and she didn't. It was movies and goof off for a several more weeks until school was out. In fact I can't even figure out what the sixth graders did to get grades the last few weeks of school after the SOL tests. Because I saw no homework or school work.
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Adam said:
It's good to see that in times like these, people can put it together. It is a travesty that public schools have to turn to private enterprise just to keep up with where they are supposed to be with our tax dollars to begin with. It really warms the heart to hear how people who care are standing up for the future of mankind.
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Examiner Reader said:
We see lots of cuts in education but what about California prisons? Are they laying off any prison guards? Let's see lack of education means less people qualified to find good jobs means more criminals means more prison guards.
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Carson said:
If the Revolutionaries in the government would have respected the will of, "We the People" and enacted Proposition 187 we may have avoided these problems.
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Examiner Reader said:
Student truancy is not always caused by the parents/family. Our family is not near homeless, not divorced or any other social reasons that may be common. My daughter began skipping her classes and when I found out and asked her why, she said "because it doesn't matter to anyone at school." She did it because it was easy and she wasn't being called on it. Since then, her school has a new attendance/tardy policy and whenever a student misses even one class, an automated system calls home and leaves a message to that fact. After coming home 3 days in a row and hearing that she was being reported, she realized that someone did care and that it was no longer going to be "easy" to get away with. During the past 3 weeks we have not had 1 call. While in some cases the family life may be the problem, the school administrators need to have procedures in place to combat the problem as well. I'm sure glad my daughter's school did!
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Examiner Reader said:
I know Zach! I went to Shiloh, and I graduated along with him. I hope he and everyone else are doing well at North Carroll. The best of luck to him, and his future!
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Examiner Reader said:
People of different relegious beliefs should watch PEACE channel where Dr.Zakir Naik refers from holy books of Christians,Jews,Muslims & Hindus for guidance on such issues
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