SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - "It is an honor and a privilege to represent the Army by serving at our schools. I believe education is one of the best investments we can make both for ourselves and our future generations," said Pfc. Joseph Foster, Company A, 25th Infantry Division Special Troops Battalion, when he described about his participation in Read Across America.
Hale Kula Elementary School celebrated the annual, national reading event in commemoration of Dr. Seuss's birthday with the help of 25th DSTB Soldiers at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
About a dozen Soldiers served up green eggs and ham for breakfast to students and helped out with other school activities based on the famous Dr. Seuss story, March 2, then returned to Hale Kula, March 4, to read books from many authors in the classrooms.
Foster is one of the Soldiers who volunteered to help out with serving breakfast and reading books to the kids.
"I felt very much appreciated by the kids and staff. Everyone was eager to share a smile and offer their thanks," said Foster.
"We plan an event and come up with a vision for it, but the two of us cannot do it by ourselves so we rely on military partnership so much," said Ellen Petry, the Parent Community Networking Center facilitator at the Hale Kula elementary school, one of the event organizers.
25th DSTB is the school's assigned military partner and helps the school carry out its events.
"We hear from the Soldiers that they really love reading for the kids, and they love getting the thank you notes from the kids," said Michelle Colte, the librarian at the Hale Kula Elementary School and co-organizer of this event.
"I really enjoyed reading to the kids. I think that it would be great to have even more opportunities for soldiers or civilians to read to kids," said Foster.
Petry said it is special for the kids to see Soldiers in uniform, who look like mom and dad, read for them.
As part of the celebration Brig. Gen. James Nixon, deputy commanding general-operations, read a book called "Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type" to the kids during an event called Tell Me a Story at the Wheeler Elementary School, Wheeler Army Air Base, Hawaii, March 4.
"I know the kids had a good time listening to the stories. I hope that seeing a Soldier reading would spark their imaginations and help inspire a deeper desire for reading," said Foster.
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