Corry Area School District will begin Pennsylvania System School Assessment (PSSA) testing on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, and will be continuously spread out through the three following weeks. As the Corry Area Middle School prepares for this assessment, the seventh and eighth grade ELA department has come up with a new and fun way to spice up the mundane testing environment.

What is this change, though? Well, the seventh and eighth grade ELA department has provided multiple raffle prizes that the middle school students have a chance to win each time they finish their assessments. After each student fully completes their testing packets, they will receive a ticket, which they can put toward possibly winning a prize of their choice. 

There are five prizes that can be won in this process. The first big prize is a 3-in-1 Tailgate Comiso, which includes games such as: Cornhole, Ladderball, and Washer toss. The second big prize is a Jetson Light-Up Kick Scooter with 20 light patterns! The third prize consists of two Nerf Guns: A Nerf Fortnight Contact SMG gun, a Nerf Elite 2.0 Gun, and a pack of 75 bullets. The fourth prize is a set of Adventure Force Water Strike guns that are perfect for pool-time. Additionally, the fifth and final prize includes an arrangement of different items such as: A frisbee, a foam football, a ball and bat, and two badminton rackets. 

The annual PSSA is a standardized test for students in third through eighth grade. It is a standard-based, criterion-referenced assessment which provides students, educators, and parents with an understanding of the students educational performance. This not only helps the student realize what they need to further study, but it also helps the educators and parents help them succeed. The test contains three subjects: English language Arts, Mathematics, and Science Technology; Which are differentiated by their respective testing packets. 

Every student knows that test-taking can be tedious and annoying. However, having something to look forward to at the end of the day can ease a lot of stress. Having the raffle as an incentive for young students to try hard on their assessments will hopefully transform their next few weeks from something they dread, to something they look forward to. Thank you seventh and eighth grade ELA department for organizing this raffle and lessening test-tension!