Students, teachers and volunteers throughout the United States participated in the celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday on Mar. 2^nd. The celebration also coincided with the National Education Association’s 20^th annual Read Across America. It involved classes reading aloud to the students, activities regarding Dr. Seuss and some even wore clothing relevant to Dr. Seuss.
Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for each child in every community to read on Mar. 2^nd. Not only does the program motivate the child to read on Dr. Seuss’ birthday, but it also motivates every child in the United States to read every day of the year.
Wakefield Elementary School in Turlock was not the exception. The school invited parents and people of the community to volunteer and read to a classroom.
The elementary school had two time slots for volunteers to choose the time that better fit their schedule. The first time slot to read was from 9-11 a.m., and the second reading slot was from 12-2 p.m. 
The school also provided a brochure to the students’ parents from the National Education Association, which talked about the different ways a parent could teach their children how to read. 
The entrance to the school was decorated with a balloon arc that followed the Dr. Seuss theme: blue, red and white.
Many of the students were encouraged to dress like Dr. Seuss’ character, Cat in the Hat, so they could help celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday. There were students who had their face painted with whiskers so they could look like The Cat in the Hat. The teachers were also encouraged to wear their Wildcat in the Hat shirts.
The volunteer readers were encouraged to take Dr. Seuss books, so they could read them to the class they were assigned to. If the volunteer did not take a Dr. Seuss book, the school had books available in the office so they could choose which book they wanted to read.
“We had a total of 34 volunteers scheduled yesterday,” said Lina Southwick, a school support staff, specifying the amount of volunteers.
California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State), students participated in this initiative and volunteered to read to the students. Many of Stan State students found out about Read Across America through an email that was sent to the clubs and the organizations.
Blanca Prieto (senior, Criminal Justice) was one of the Stan State students who volunteered to be a reader at Wakefield Elementary School and said that she found out about Read Across America through her fraternity Omega Nu Omega Co-Ed Fraternity.
She was really excited to have the opportunity to read to elementary school students because it’s a really good initiative because each year fewer children are less interested in reading. By reading to them on Dr. Seuss’ birthday makes it better and inspiring because he was the author that made reading more exciting.
Prieto got the opportunity to read to a first grade class, and she decided to read to them the book Green Eggs and Ham because it is personally her favorite. 
Prieto also added, “When I was in first grade, or even later because I couldn’t read, but I loved looking at the pictures. Little by little I sounded out the words and I love Green Eggs and Ham.”
The second grade class that Prieto got the opportunity to read to paid attention while she was reading to them, and they were excited because someone else was reading to them.
Kari Cherry (senior, Communication Studies), volunteered to read to a classroom, and is also part of the Omega Nu Omega Co-Ed Fraternity. She was very excited to have the opportunity to read to young students because she loves kids, and also because there are children who do not have the opportunity to have someone read to them.
Cherry got the opportunity to read to a second grade class, and the students paid attention while she read to them If I ran the Zoo and There’s a Wocket in my Pocket. 
“I shouldn’t have read this one because as I was reading it, it seemed a little bit too hard for them,” expressed Cherry when talking about the books she decided to read.
After she finished reading both books, Mrs. Villalobos, the second grade teacher, let her students ask Cherry questions regarding college.
Another Stan State student, Linda Luna (junior, Sociology), said Read Across America was a great experience because it gave her the opportunity to read to young children and help out the community, and it gave her the opportunity to do one of her many hobbies, which is reading.
Luna read the book The Cat in the Hat to a fourth grade class.
Luna also expressed, “It’s a really good idea, not only does it encourage kids to read, but also other people to encourage reading and to do more volunteering out there and support reading.”
If you want to learn more about Read Across America visit their website.