Local students celebrate Read Across America
To celebrate, Russellville City and Franklin County schools scheduled dress-up days and hosted special guests who read to their students. The Russellville Public Library also participated by visiting several schools throughout the week and reading to Pre-K classes.
“It’s something we celebrate every year, and it’s so much fun getting to visit the students and read to them,” library director Ashley Cummins said.
March 2 Phil Campbell Elementary School held an assembly to recognize students for their hard work toward reaching their reading goals. Teachers and students alike were all dressed up in their Dr. Seuss wacky clothes as they gathered in the gymnasium for the assembly.
Fifteen of Heather Fowler’s Pre-K students received medals for meeting their goal of recognizing all 52 letters in random order and reading 50 books. Many kindergarteners reached their goal of 180 books, which required parent involvement, according to school counselor Laura Voyles.
PCES first-grade classes’ goals were to fluently read all pre-primer, primer and first grade Dolch words and phrases, as well as read an additional 20 books during January and February. Fifty first-graders across all classes accomplished this goal.
Several second-graders reached their goal of choosing five ways to read a book and mastering a “Get Ready for Third Grade” word list.
To end the program, some of the sixth-grade students in fanciful costumes sang a song about reading.
At Red Bay, elementary children paraded through the school halls for Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Guest readers and costume themes were also the order of the day at Vina.
Not only did Russellville Public Library workers and volunteers read to children, but they also brought a special guest with them to each school: The Cat in the Hat. Perla Marcelo donned the costume and spent time taking pictures and talking to students.
March 2, Dr. Seuss’s birthday, was also RPL’s first Friday reading time and game day, which The Cat in the Hat also attended.
