Bristol students get a chance to say Deal or No Deal

James Smith receives his Kindle at the gift table.

Bristol School student James Smith now knows your luck can turn around for the better.

In the school’s Deal or No Deal assembly last April, James was selected from his class to accept a deal of a modest gift or choose  another mystery gift that could be even better, or maybe much worse.

That time, James gambled and chose the mystery gift. It turned out to be an autographed photo of district administrator Gale Ryczek.

Thursday, James found himself in the same position again. Apparently wiping last time’s result from his mind, he boldly decided again to go for the potentially better prize.

This time he won a Kindle e-book reader.

Which prize was better?

“It was the Kindle,” James said.

No offense intended I’m sure, Mr. Ryczek.

As their last task before Winter Break Thursday afternoon, Bristol students that did not have more than one office referral were able to participate in the assembly modeled on the game show Deal or No Deal. The name of one student from each homeroom was drawn. That student then could take the deal offered them by principal Jeff Terry or opt to chose one of the mystery gifts displayed by members of the school staff. Some of those were great, like the Kindle or ipods. Some were OK, like stockings of  goodies or gift cards. Yet others were full out duds, like fruit cake, a bag of coal or a troll (I’ll let you decide where an autographed photo of Ryczek and Terry in Christmas headgear ranked).

Terry pointed out that 97 percent of students were able to attend the assembly.

“When we track referrals we see what kind of choices students are making,” said Terry, who served as master of ceremonies for the assembly.

Most students were willing to risk the downside of getting a dud for a chance at scoring a better gift. Some of the notable exceptions were a giant pencil and a large container of Tootsie Rolls that two younger students accepted.

There were some twists too. After Terry had offered a cardboard truck to two students, and been refused, he revealed that the truck had $50 in the back, which he then took out of contention.

Later, Terry offered another cardboard truck to a student who had to think long and hard about whether to accept it and whatever might again be in its payload. The student ultimately declined the truck, after which Terry revealed it too had 50 bucks inside — as in 50 small drawings of a male deer.

Here are some more photos from the event. Click on photo for a large view.

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