SOUTH CENTRE TOWNSHIP -- Many students in our area are getting ready to take the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment or PSSA tests.
Third-grade and fourth -grade students at Central Columbia Elementary School near Bloomsburg are ready to take the PSSA standardized tests next week.
The school even held a pep rally to motivate the children but what they weren't prepared for was a flash mob! Around 75 eighth-graders from Central Columbia Middle School surprised the students by singing, dancing, and cheering them on as they prepare to take the tests.
The eighth-graders told the youngsters, "we are all in this together."
PSSA tests are a key way the state measures the success of schools.
"It's always a good experience to help kids be confident about themselves and not be too torn apart about how scared they can be," said eighth-grader Margo Mensch.
The eighth-graders will also be taking PSSA tests next month so they know what it's like. They offered some advice to the third-and fourth-graders.
"To get a good night's sleep the night before so you're energized and to eat a good breakfast, focus on all the questions and make sure you read them all carefully," advised Alaina Humphrey.
Teachers believe the flash mob will have a lasting impact because the younger children look up to the eighth-graders.