Braden River Middle teachers pucker up for student rewards

RIVER CLUB — Braden River Middle School teacher Kelly Palmiere clutched a container of Clorox wipes as she walked anxiously toward the center of the school’s gymnasium and took a good look at her new opponent — Maxwell.

A few moments later — and after a few sighs of exasperation — Palmiere, a self-professed germaphobe, reluctantly planted a kiss atop the baby pig’s pink head.

Fellow teacher Jennifer Eichelmann soon followed suit.

“It was a lot harder than I thought,” she said after the ordeal. “I prefer blowing a kiss (to it) than actually kissing it.”

The teachers, along with Assistant Principal Anthony Losada and school resource officer Deputy Carl McClellan, earned the honor of kissing Maxwell as part of the Kiss-A-Pig fundraiser for Braden River’s Renaissance program. Teachers and administrators who earned the most donations from students over the last two weeks had to kiss the pig at May 7 assembly.

“It was pretty funny,” student Abby Hood said of the pig-kissing event. “And, it was a good fundraiser for our school.”

As part of the festivities, students also enjoyed performances by Braden River Middle School’s dance team and student unicyclist Levi Waxler. The school’s basketball team also was introduced at the assembly.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].