“An incentive is a reward that encourages a person to work harder to achieve something,” Andrea announced, all proud of herself. She thinks she knows everything. I hate her.

“Very good, Andrea,” said Mr. Klutz. “What sort of incentive might bring out the best work in the students of our school?”

“You could give us each a million dollars,” suggested Michael.

“You could make summer vacation last all year long,” I said.

“How about getting rid of homework?” asked Ryan.

Miss Daisy went to the front of the room. “Mr. Klutz can’t do those things,” she said. “But remember when all the students in our school read a million pages in books, and as a reward we turned the gym into a video-game arcade? That was quite successful. Mr. Klutz even dressed up in a gorilla suit for the evening, if I recall.”

“How about a chocolate party?” suggested Andrea.

“Yeah!” everybody yelled.

“Mmmm,” said Miss Daisy. “I like that idea!”

We all got very excited, because if there is one thing that just about everybody loves, it’s chocolate. Kids started shouting out things we could have at the party, like chocolate cupcakes and chocolate fudge and chocolate bunnies and chocolate ice cream and on and on and on.

“But wait a minute,” Mr. Klutz said. “What are you going to do to earn this chocolate party?”

“We could read another million pages,” suggested Ryan.

“We did that already,” Emily said. “How about a million math problems?” I said.

“What a wonderful idea!” Miss Daisy beamed. Ever since we taught her how to add and subtract, Miss Daisy loved math.

“Math is hard,” Ryan said. “How about a hundred math problems?”

“One million math problems,” Mr. Klutz insisted. “That’s my final offer. Take it or leave it.”

“We’ll take it!” we all yelled.

“Agreed. If the kids in our school do one million math problems, I’ll throw a party with so much chocolate, you’ll be sick for a week.”

“I’ll bring the bonbons,” Miss Daisy volunteered.

“Hooray!” we all yelled, except for Ryan who looked all mad.

“I’m not going to spend my free time doing math,” Ryan said. “I hate math. I wouldn’t do extra math if you kissed a pig on the lips.”

“Okay, as an added incentive,” Mr. Klutz said, “on the night of the party, I will kiss a pig on the lips. Have a nice day.”

“All right!”

What a cool, wacky guy Mr. Klutz is! He is the coolest principal in the history of the world.

7

Teacher for a Day

The news about the big chocolate party blew through the school like a hurricane. Even kids who were allergic to chocolate wanted to go, just so they could see Mr. Klutz kiss a pig on the lips.

“Where is he going to get a pig?” Ryan asked during lunch the next day.

"He could try A.J.’s house,” Andrea said.