The Pleasant Valley Elementary School held its third annual Dewey Days on Wednesday night. It was the second year for the Touch-A-Truck theme.

Anne Gordon, a teacher at PVES and one of the event organizers, said 130 children signed up for it. She said the event is a learning experience for preschoolers to second graders and next fall’s third graders, too.

“The goal of the program is to provide fun learning activities for our students over the summer months,” she said.

The program also has events in July and August: a live animal show on July 16 and a back-to-school carnival on Aug. 13.

Several trucks from the community came out for the Touch-A-Truck event. There were two firetrucks from West End Fire Co. and Polk Township Volunteer Fire Co., a fire and safety house on wheels from the Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Co., two monster trucks, construction trucks from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, a police vehicle from the Pennsylvania State Police, Mr. Outdoors Tree Service truck, and Frantz Trucking.

“Touch-A-Truck is a great way for kids to learn about various vehicles that they see every day, but rarely get the opportunity to ask questions about or look inside,” Gordon said. She thinks seeing the emergency vehicles gives children an introduction to them so that they aren’t so scary if they are ever in an emergency situation.

Fire Chief Cliff Oppelt from the Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Co. in Reeders was on hand to help children go into the fire and safety house.

He said the mock house consists of a kitchen, living room and bedroom. They talk to the children about where fires can start in each room, such as the Christmas tree and wood stove in the living room, and the microwave and cooking stove in the kitchen. For the bedroom, they are taught what to do if they see smoke coming in under the door, and they are told to always have at least two ways out of a house.

Oppelt said he likes to take the house to events and schools “to reach out to the kids and get involved. It’s not something that is taught every day.”

As for the purely fun trucks, Zackery Elbert of Germansville brought his mega truck Snot Rocket to the event. Elbert said he likes to compete in mud bog competitions with his green, pickup truck made monstrous with a lift. He came out to the event, because he likes the kids.

“Can’t turn down some smiles on some kids,” he said.

The event also included sno-cones provided by the PVE’s Parent-Teacher-Organization, activities with the PVHS FBLA chapter, Waste Management, story time, math games, and the Dewey bus and book giveaway.

Gordon said the Dewey bus was newly painted by students at the Monroe Career & Technical Institute.

“We are so grateful to have a newly painted and repaired Dewey Bus,” she said. “Thanks to Dennis Virga and the students at MCTI, our bus is working and looking great this year.”

Free story books were available from those donated by families, staff members and the PTO, as well as those from the school’s prior reading program. They were organized by Jackie Hardy, a second-grade teacher at PVES. Kindergarten teacher Rheannon Parker volunteered to help children find the books they wanted to take home.

“It’s just wonderful. It’s a really great event,” Parker said.

Dominika Jablonski, a mother who brought her son and two daughters to the event, said, “I love it, and it gives the kids something to do. And it gets her comfortable with the school.” Jablonski’s middle child, Isabella, is going to be in kindergarten next year. Her older brother, Mason, will be in second grade, and the youngest, Gabriella, is 2 years old.

Gordon said math specialists Christie Doll and Stacy Meckes prepared “fun, math games that students and their families can work on over the summer to reinforce the lessons taught over the school year and preparing them for the next school year.” And reading specialist Noreen Ciarleglio read the stories for story time.

“She’s very animated,” Gordon said.

Ciarleglio said it helps to keep the children engaged in the story.

“I enjoy their reactions,” Ciarleglio said.