Stewart students kick-off Read Across America week two miles at a time

By Kaytrina Curtis, Fort Stewart Public AffairsMarch 9, 2012

Read Across America
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Flash Mob
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FORT STEWART, Ga. - Kindergarten through sixth-grade Diamond Elementary School students lined the halls of their school to help kick-off Read Across America week. Up and down the halls on A, B, and C wings at Diamond more than 700 students and 40 parents sat quietly in the halls and read their book of choice. As they were reading, the students got a special visit from "The Lorax," a character from a Dr. Seuss book titled the same.

Educational Technologist, Rose Wood, said that it is essential for children to have the ability to read because it is key to the success of their future."Reading is a skill that requires practice for the rest of their lives," she said. "It is important for children to not only read, but to read for comprehension, to increase their vocabulary and spelling skills and to think critically."

The Diamond Elementary library was transformed into scenes from "The Lorax." March 5-7, students participated in building a character from the book out of recycled materials. Students submitted their recycled character to the library and their projects were placed on display.

Throughout the week, Fort Stewart school children will continue to participate in Read Across America events. During Read Across America week, each day at Brittin Elementary School, students take the readers oath during the morning announcements where they promise in part, to "read each day and night, which in turn feeds their brains."

School-wide today at Brittin students celebrate "The 500 hats of Bartholomew Cubbins" where students get to wear their favorite hat to class. At Kessler elementary school tomorrow, students will have a Storybook Parade and dress up as their favorite storybook character.

"Children should be exposed to a variety of genre and learn by example from adults that reading is fun to become lifelong readers themselves," Wood said.