Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Read Across America Day


Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Alyssa Martin reads "Little Rabbit Foo Foo" by Michael Rosen and Arthur Robins during Read Across America Day at Homer Elementary School in Beaumont on Thursday, March 2, 2006. Students from Austin Middle School dressed in costumes and read to kindergarten students.


Letisha Eaglin shows pictures from "Alice the Fairy" by David Shannon during Read Across America Day at Homer Elementary School in Beaumont.

4 comments:

Mark M. Hancock said...

ADD is alive and well in America. If the guy with the camera sits there doing nothing for a long time, they get bored. Plus, a princess reading a book is much more cool. ;-}

CarmenSisson said...

Oh God. These photos brought horrible flashbacks of my stint as editor of a weekly newspaper. After covering this event too many years to count, I was finally fortunate enough one year to be called out of town, to our publisher's office for a special meeting on the infamous day. While I was gone, no less than 12 schools called to ask why our staff of TWO wasn't covering such a unique and special occasion.

I'm all for literacy. Heck. I've made a good living from it. And I love cats. Have six of 'em. But. That cat in the hat dude, man he weirds.me.out.

Of course, I have nightmares of the Hawaiian Punch man, too, so. Maybe I'm just weird. :-)

Mark M. Hancock said...

I think the future health of a community is measured by its educational system. When the system is doing something right, it should be shown so others can emulate it.
This program, multiculturalism, biz partners in education and similar programs are good for the whole community and the broader readership, which includes some very rural areas.
True, there are some programs - red ribbon week for instance - which are an annual waste of time. But, the genuine moments of education should be documented because they'll be remembered. These kids won't remember the macaroni glued onto paper, but they will remember the bunny and fairy reading to them.

CarmenSisson said...

Agreed, agreed. I stand suitably chastened ;-)