‘Read Across America’ volunteers lauded
Dear Editor,
The Bullhead City School District would like to thank the dozens of volunteers who helped make this year’s “Read Across America” activities at our six schools a resounding success. Officially, it’s a way to encourage reading and promote literacy across the country on the birthday of Theodor Geisel – better known as Dr. Seuss. At BCSD, we extend “Read Across America” activities for at least a week. But that’s just a start.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know,” Dr. Seuss wrote in 1978. “The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Most of the books that volunteers read to students were either written by Dr. Seuss, or shared similar age-appropriate styles. Our community stepped up in a huge way this year. Readers who helped your children and grandchildren included Mayor Steve D’Amico, County Supervisor Hildy Angius, first responders from the Bullhead City Police, Bullhead City Fire and Mohave County Sheriff Departments, our reading and literacy partners from the Bullhead City branch of the Mohave County Public Library, Mohave High School Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and Air Force Junior ROTC students, Fox Creek Junior High WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) Leader students who read to elementary students, Bullhead City Middle School students who read to their peers, BCSD Governing Board members, members of the medical, business, non-profit and utilities communities, local authors, and school employees and administrators district-wide.
Parents who read on campus get a special gold star. They understand that children read better at school if there is also reading at home.
Although “Read Across America” is billed as a day or a week, in reality it’s a year-long process for BCSD’s pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students. Reading is clearly fundamental, whether English is a child’s first language, or whether the child is an English language learner.
As Dr. Seuss wrote, ““You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.”
Dr. Carolyn Stewart
Superintendent, Bullhead City School District #15
