In conjunction with the birthday of the late children’s author
Dr. Seuss, local schools on Monday impressed the importance of
reading during Read Across America events.
In conjunction with the birthday of the late children’s author Dr. Seuss, local schools on Monday impressed the importance of reading during Read Across America events.
“It’s a celebration of reading, which is really important to do in school” said Doug Achterman, librarian at San Benito High School. “Reading is the cornerstone of everything we do in school. It’s important to instill the attitude in students that reading is a lifelong pleasure.”
Activities at SBHS and many other schools across the state worked in association with the California Teachers Association in celebrating the event. In its sixth year, the national and statewide event focuses attention on the importance of motivating children to read.
Guest readers in the SBHS library included Superintendent Jean Burns Slater and teacher JoAnne Zuniga, who read from their favorite books and told students why they loved to read.
Slater read “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes, saying, “This poem hit me to the core when I first read it.”
Zuniga, who read from Pat Mora’s “Legal Alien,” told the students she remembered reading Dr. Seuss books, then read less throughout junior high and high school. She said reading “clicked again” in college because she was exposed to novels written by people like her whose stories she could connect with.
Achterman and teacher Clete Bradford donned “The Cat in the Hat” hats to get students in the mood. Dr. Seuss videos were available for students to watch during lunch and recess.
After the guests read, students read and signed banners that asked them why they loved to read and about books they loved reading. Students wrote that reading allows them to leave their lives behind and let their imagination wander.
The Parents Club at Ladd Lane School also organized a day of events focused on reading. Hollister School District Trustees Margie Barrios, Eugenia Sanchez, Alice Flores and Carol Cochrane served as guest readers. Third, fourth and fifth graders devoted Monday’s language arts time to a “readathon,” said Jennifer Coile, parent club chair of library liason/reading promotion.
“There are studies out there that show that if students are not reading at grade level by third grade, it takes forever to catch up,” Coile said. “Reading is success in life. We want to celebrate reading as a fun activity.”
The author of such books as “The Cat in the Hat,” “Green Eggs and Ham” and “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish,” Dr. Seuss – who died in 1991 and whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel – would’ve been 98 Sunday. He is being celebrated because he epitomized a love of children and learning. “His use of rhyme makes his books an effective tool for teaching young children the basic skills they need to be successful,” according to the CTA Web site.
Some local schools celebrated Read Across America last week.
Last Thursday, Gabilan Hills School combined its read all day with pajama day, allowing the school to hold reading activities. Parents with the school’s parents club read to students and older kids read to younger kids, said teacher Amy Holland. Students still received regular instruction, but on a lighter scale, Holland said.
Sunnyslope School will hold a read-in Thursday to commemorate Read Across America. Volunteers from the community will read to students and each grade level will set a goal of pages to read that day. If students meet their goals, the principal and assistant principal will have to dress as an old lady or spike their hair and color it green, said Charlene Durbin-Dietterle, assistant principal.
Cerra Vista School will celebrate the event Friday in part by putting out its Governor’s Reading Award banner, illustrating the almost two million pages students have read this year. Students will dress up in pajamas and read all day. Teachers will team students in upper grades with lower grades for reading activities, said principal Agnes Obeso-Bradley. Also, The Cat in the Hat might show up, she said.
