Rocky the Writing Raccoon Gets Children Excited about Reading and Writing

Rocky the Writing Raccoon, a Mascot created by Facemakers Incorporated, has been generating tons of enthusiasm, getting children excited about reading and even writing their own books. A recent article in the Savanna Times-Journal tells the story:

WCPS students eagerly await Rocky's return Friday.

by JULIENE McCORMICK
WCPS 1st Grade Teacher

Rocky the Writing Raccoon returns to West Carroll Primary School this Friday, April 15. At 8:30, students will gather in the gym, anxiously awaiting his arrival.

Rocky will arrive by plane, of course, as he's been traveling great distances from the school, the past few months. He has been sight-seeing and word-searching around the world, gathering up words derived from the languages of the countries that he's visiting. He sends those words, via postcards, to the students, because increasing vocabulary skills is one of Rocky's goals for the children at West Carroll.

Rocky is a 6-foot 3-inch walking, running, writing, gray, furry raccoon. A "smartscot" that was created a few years ago, by Facemakers, Inc., in Savanna, an international costume design company. Rocky was generously gifted to the school, and with literacy coach Keta Foltz's enthusiasm, he has been motivating students at West Carroll Primary in their writing ever since.

No year has been more fun than this year, however. For example, Rocky recently sent a picture of himself standing before a landmark, in Hungary, where he went because we was "hungry". Before that he celebrated St. Patrick's Day in Ireland and next week, he'll end his travels in England, visiting the homeland of the author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

The students daily pass by a large display wall in the school, and observe the new "clues" about Rocky's next whereabouts. They are often heard dialoging their guesses about "Where in the world is Rocky now?"

But this Friday he returns and the students can't wait. The West Carroll Education Foundation (the organization that collects donations on behalf of the needs of the school children and who has gifted many educational materials for classroom use), has written to Rocky, urging him to return home. They're hoping he will assist with preparing the students' summer writing bags.

Another activity Rocky promoted at West Carroll during the year was "Wear-A-Word Day" on Oct. 31. For the first months of the year, students collected interesting words that they found at home.

After they wrote a definition and a sentence using the word, they sent it off to school. Then the words were placed on display in the cafeteria. Sometime before Halloween, the words were compiled and a list sent home to the parents. Students then chose a word to wear, and dressed up like a "word" instead of in a Halloween costume on Oct. 31!

Rocky has also become well-known throughout the state. He has made "spotlight" appearances at the Illinois Reading Conference the past three years, in Springfield. Foltz and her team of Amber Findlay, Christa Curley, and Janell Hartman have been presenters at the conference. They have noticed Rocky's popularity growing each year. This team of teachers has been invited by several different school districts to bring Rocky into their educational community, to share about his work of promoting and improving reading and writing literacy.

Authors of children's literature, who are featured guest speakers at the convention, have enjoyed meeting Rocky, too. Some of them are Craig Pierce, Gary Metivier, Mary Casanova and Tedd Arnold, to name a few. The website, http://www.writingrocky.com/ gives more information about the different Rocky activities.

There will be a lot of excitement in the gym at 8:30 a.m. Friday, April 15, at West Carroll Primary School. First grade students will be receiving a special Rocky bag that day which will be packed with different writing supplies and a bare book, ready and waiting to be written in, thanks to the Education Foundation.

Parents of first graders are invited to a Writing Open House immediately after school on Friday to "Build-A-Bag" for writing. Those students will then return to school next fall as second graders, ready to share their summer writing.

When Rocky isn't traveling around, he lives in the wooded area, behind the school. But the students just never know when he'll show up an be either reading their writing in the hallway, or stopping into their classroom for a quick write.

It could be that Rocky will even return with a little souvenir for each student. Hmmm, that writing raccoon is just always full of surprises.

How To Choose A Mascot Company

If you're considering investing in a mascot, the biggest question you probably have in mind is, what company should I purchase from??? A simple Google search provides endless options for companies that manufacture and sell mascot costumes. Here are some tips for determining which company to choose:

1. Ask if the costume company is the manufacturer of the mascot costumes or if they are just a reseller. It is better to go with a company that manufactures their costumes so you are working directly with the person creating the costume & you'll get exactly what you're looking for.

2. Consider their years of service as well as the range of services they offer. You want to go with a company that has proven itself over the years. Choose a mascot company that has been in the business for a good amount of time. Companies who have been working on costumes for longer have much more experience and you will get a better costume as well as better help and advice.

3. Check their client list. Most reliable mascot companies will have a client list posted on their website. Look for reputable clients and be sure they have an extensive list. Again, the more clients, the more experience. It would also be wise to request referrals to determine that they are a reputable company.

4. Ask if they guarantee satisfaction. A reputable company will. If not, DON'T BUY!! A company that doesn't guarantee satisfaction is obviously hiding something. A good mascot company should be confident enough with their costumes to guarantee your satisfaction!

5. Don't be afraid to ask your own questions! A good mascot company will answer all of the questions you have. They'll make your mascot purchase experience a much better, smoother process!

The mascot company that we have had the best luck with has been in the business for over 30 years. They have an extremely extensive client list of over 15,000 firms and always do an amazing job to accommodate our needs. They manufacture their costumes and they guarantee satisfaction. They even offer custom mascots! Click here to check out their website!

Mascot Rental

Not sure if you're willing to invest in a mascot costume yet? Why not try renting one?! Many people are hesitant in purchasing a mascot costume because they are unfamiliar with this type of costume. Since mascot costumes are much different than a typical Halloween costume, it may be a good idea to rent one so you can experiment with it and learn how they feel on, how you can use them for your event, etc.

This can also be a good way to determine what type of character would work for your situation if you're not quite sure yet. Perhaps you'll find that an animal you didn't expect to work ended up working great.

If you're interested in renting a mascot costume, click this link to go to the website of a company that has a good rental stock selection. The rental process is easy, so check it out!

Make Your Mascot Talk!

Typically, mascot performers shouldn't speak while in costume. The main reason for this is because it is very difficult for your voice to be heard. Even when you're speaking loudly, the size of the mascot head and the insulation from the foam, etc will prevent your voice from being heard. However, if you'd like your mascot character to be able to communicate with people, there is a solution! You can invest in a mascot amplification system!

There are some great compact amplification systems that you can get that will make it easy for your mascot character to speak with patrons. They come with a headset including a microphone. But if you choose to purchase an amplification system so your costumed actor can communicate, it would be smart to have them use a special, cartoony voice. If your character just sounds like a regular person, it will be very boring and ruin the illusion of the character. Click here to go to a website that has different amplification options to use with your mascot!

How To Properly Store A Mascot Costume

So you have a mascot but don't know how to store it? This is one of the most important things to think about if you want your mascot costume to last a long time! When not in use, a mascot costume should be stored in some sort of container. If you don't store it in something, the costume will be exposed to dirt, dust, water, etc.

It would be a smart idea to invest in a quality storage container to protect the mascot costume from the elements. There are many different options... The most inexpensive being a canvas bag- but remember, this is not the most protective option! You should seriously consider a more reliable storage container such as a plastic case or hard case. Some of these cases even come with wheels for easy transportation.

Click here to go to a site that offers a wide range of options for mascot storage. You'll be sure to find an option that will fit in your budget. We've had great luck dealing with this company and the cases are great!

Good Mascot Video!

This YouTube video has some great examples of how you should act in a mascot costume. Check it out to see some good examples of how to communicate with people while doing meet and greets.

Mascot Hydration

It’s officially summer and it is HOT outside! When wearing a mascot costume, it’s ALWAYS important to be well hydrated, but this is especially true when you will be outside during the hot, humid summer months. You should not only hydrate before going out in costume, but also during.

In order to remain hydrated throughout the day, you should create a schedule for your performer. For instance, the performer should have a set amount of time in costume and then get at least a 5-10 minute break to rehydrate. But remember, the performer’s break should occur away from the public. A mascot character should NEVER take off any part of their costume while in front of people. Be sure to have a designated break area where the public doesn’t have access and have plenty of water waiting for them.

There are also mascot cooling systems that hold water and have a tube that leads up to the performer’s mouth so they can drink water while wearing the costume. This will allow your performer to stay in costume for longer periods of time and will also keep your performer happy. Click here to be redirected to a site that offers a great mascot water cooling system.