First-graders at Taylors Creek Elementary were treated with a McDonald’s French fry party featuring the main man himself, Ronald McDonald.

The May 18 party celebrated the students learning their sight words for the year.

Sight words are commonly used words that are memorized by sight and instantly recognized to build fluency. These are words that cannot not be phonetically pronounced, such as “the,” “what” and “said.”

Ashley Dodd, owner and operator of the McDonald’s restaurants in Hinesville, president of the Ronald McDonald House in Savannah and president of Taylors Creek School Governance Team, provided each student with his or her own fry box at the beginning of the school year. When students mastered 10 sight words they got a symbolic French fry placed in their box until completion.

As the students ate their fries at the party, Ronald McDonald performed magic tricks with volunteers from the audience and congratulated the students on learning their words.

Taylors Creek Principal Dr. Brittney Mobley told students she was proud of them and the first grade is reading at a higher level than ever.

“And it’s because of you learning your sight words,” Mobley said and encouraged students to continue into second grade.

Students then had a chance to meet Ronald McDonald and take a class photo with him.

Dodd also provided a free Happy Meal gift certificate to each student.

Inside the cafeteria was a large banner that read “Fryin’ Up Fry Words. Mmm…We’re Lovin’ It!” with the signatures of all the first-graders.