Students across America have been celebrating Dr. Suess Week this week in connection with National Read Across America Day on Thursday.
The holiday is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss.
I was honored to participate in the event at Kosciusko Lower Elementary earlier this week, reading one of my childhood favorite books, “The Cat in the Hat.”
National Education Association Read Across America also provides NEA members, parents, caregivers and children the resources and activities they need to keep reading on the calendar 365 days a year.
In the digital age reading is even more important for children to sustain growth.
In cities and towns across the nation, teachers, teenagers, librarians, politicians, actors, athletes, parents, grandparents and others develop activities to bring reading excitement to children of all ages. And teachers and principals seem to be more than happy to dye their hair green or be duct-taped to a wall if it boosts their students' reading.
Motivating reading among children is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school.
– Joseph Brown is the editor and publisher of The Star-Herald. He can be reached at jbrown@starherald.net.
