Myakka City Elementary hosts Community Night

By Madison Bierl
| 8:30 a.m. February 1, 2026

Myakka City Elementary first graders Delanee Verly and Emma Kelly check out the wide variety of books for sale during the CommUNITY Night.

East County
Schools

Every day leading up to Myakka City Elementary's Community Night, second grader Chloe Erickson asked her mother, Naomi, when they could go to school to celebrate literacy and kindness.

"When you come to their school after hours and see them have fun, you know they are having a great time during the day," Naomi Erickson said.

Myakka City Elementary families and staff gathered on the evening of Jan. 29 for Community Night to participate in a wide variety of activities to celebrate Literacy Week. They included the book fair, Book Bingo, a book dance party, drum circle, painting a mural, and more.

Kristin Greene, the music teacher at Myakka City Elementary, led a drum circle for the event. She said authors and composers have a lot in common — both express storylines, feelings and events.

"Music truly reaches every academic subject — math, science, history, language arts, and social studies," Greene said. "Music is a special way to bring people together to celebrate life."

Meredith Barcomb attended the Community Night with her son Kaleb who is in fourth grade.

"Right now we have a country that is behind in basic reading and math," Barcomb said. "The staff works extremely hard to make sure the kids at Myakka Elementary get the attention they need to be their very best. As a mom with a son who struggles with a reading disability, I have found our little school to be just the support Kaleb needs."

Kelly Huber is both a Myakka City Elementary teacher and parent and said that makes her experience double special.

"Getting to see my daughter’s face light up as she was having fun with her friends singing, dancing, painting, playing bingo and doing all the things made me have a nonstop smile all night," Huber said. "Getting to witness the students I teach experiencing the same excitement, especially leaving their mark painting the courtyard Mustang mural that will be around for years to come, make my heart burst with pride."

Chloe Erickson, a second grader at Myakka City Elementary, didn't let her nervousness of the paint dripping down stop her from painting the mural.

Kristin Greene, the music teacher at Myakka City Elementary, led a drum circle that combined books and music.

Sergeant Rob Hendrickson with the Manatee County Sheriff's Office brought a ball python for the kids to see and touch. Maddox Bradow, a voluntary prekindergarten student, was especially interested in the snake and asked lots of questions.

Sabrina Zadai, Brody Zadai, 2, and Patrick Zadai play a game of Book Bingo at CommUNITY Night.

Bristol Zadai, a first grader at Myakka City Elementary, is on the edge of her seat and eager to win a game of Book Bingo.

Pheebe Smith, a first grader at Myakka City Elementary, went home with two books from the book fair.

Carol Seguin and Milo Vogt are visiting their grandkids from Illinois. They said participating in the drum circle was lots of fun.

Lorielle and Elias Conner watch as Heartlee Conner pets a ball python held by Rob Hendrickson.

Lillian Fox and her mother Stephanie Guevara, who works at the school as the art teacher, painted 75% of the mural before letting students help during the CommUNITY Night.

The CommUNITY Night at Myakka City Elementary included a book dance party, book fair, mural painting, drum circle, bingo and more.

Kaleb Barcomb, a fourth grade student at Myakka City Elementary, holds a giant ground sloth claw model from the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature.

author

Madison Bierl

Madison Bierl is the education and community reporter for the East County Observer. She grew up in Iowa and studied at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University.