Student pays off fourth grade height wager with pizza party

Eighteen years ago, when Galen McGraw was a fourth grader at Jennings Elementary School, he was the shortest boy in his class. There was only one girl who was shorter.

He confided in his teacher, Sharon Hall, that he knew he was going to remain short for his entire life.

“He had a melt-down one day, and I was trying to console him,” Hall said. “I said, ‘You will grow. I bet you will be taller than me some day.’”

To back up her promise, she offered to buy Galen pizza if some day he didn’t top her height. If he did grow taller, he had to buy the pizza.

“I’m only 5’4”,” Hall said, so she assumed she made a safe bet.

Last Thursday Galen made good on their bet when he paid for six pizzas for the Hall’s class which now includes Galen’s little brother, Reid.

McGraw, who now resides in Spokane, also plans to attend his 10-year class reunion at Colfax.

“He told me he had written the bet down and had it taped to his sock drawer so he wouldn’t forget,” Hall said.

Hall reported McGraw is indeed taller than she is.

Reid was proud to have his brother come to class. Hall said Reid invited Galen to come to recess with him after they finished the pizza.

“You know there’s lots of tests we give kids, and they know how they’re doing in class because of those tests, but I think when teachers show caring, the little bits you give kids, that’s what they remember,” Hall said.