A grant awarded to Brooklet Elementary School Teacher Becky Petkewich by the Bulloch County Foundation for Public Education funded Thursday's holiday, educational performance of Tommy Johns' "Arctic Express."

Jones performed the show for students at both Brooklet Elementary and Nevils Elementary on Thursday. Johns is both an educator and entertainer who produces educational programs for schools that are curriculum-based and have the goal of encouraging children to read.

Pettiwich wrote and submitted the grant application to the Foundation earlier this fall, and she received a $750 grant for the project. She was one of 10 projects totaling $8,000 that was funded by the Foundation in September.

"We are always looking for ways to excite students about reading and as a result maximize their achievements in reading and language arts," Petkewich said.

Known for a variety of educational programs, the Arctic Express, plays on the theme of Chris Van Allsburg's timeless Christmas story, "The Polar Express," and treated kids to a program filled with puppets, magic, storytelling, music and audience participation. The kids took an imaginary journey around the world to learn about winter holidays from other cultures.

"This is a fun and educational way to reward our students for all their hard work toward meeting their accelerated reader goals and motivate them to be life-long readers," said Pettiwich.