CSD promotes literacy by reading the wacky works of Dr. Seuss
Schools across Canyons District on Wednesday paid tribute to the madcap mind behind such literary favorites as “Cat in the Hat,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.” Community celebrities lined up to help students “think and wonder and wonder and think” during the March 2 Read Across America Day, celebrated on the late Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel’s birthday.
Among the scheduled guests were women’s soccer players from the University of Utah who scored big by reading with students at Canyon View and Bella Vista. Volunteers from Sandy-based XO Communications shared tongue-twisting rhymes at East Midvale. And schools marked the occasion with a tasty lunch of green eggs and ham, an annual tradition in Canyons cafeterias.
Dr. Seuss is no longer alive, but would have turned 112 years old on Wednesday. His legacy lives on, though, in his magical books, which continue to capture the imaginations of young readers and instill in them a love for books. “I look at my college education and so much of it is reading, which is why it’s so important to show these young kids that reading is cool and fun,” said Lady Utes defender Hannah Hyde whose favorite Dr. Seuss book is none other than, “Green Eggs and Ham.”
Having role models and members of the community read with kids culturally reinforces what’s taught in the classroom, said Bella Vista’s Media Specialist Tamara Coombs. Reading is the key to knowledge, independence and college- and career-readiness, she said, noting studies show students who enter fourth grade without reading proficiently are more likely to drop out of high school.
In the immortal words of Dr. Suess: “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Oh, and in case you think those green eggs and ham go uneaten, think again. More than two-thirds of the students at Bella Vista chose eggs over cheesy nachos, which is almost always the best-seller, said the school’s Lunch Manager Debbie Jakeman.
