Point Pleasant Borough High School Celebrates Read Across America with Younger Students

The Point Pleasant Borough High School Performing Arts Department is throwing a Read Across America Festival for younger students on Friday.

The high school students will hold the free reading event for children ages 3 through 8 years old at 4 p.m. at the high school.

The event will be one of thousands held in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday on Wednesday.

According to a prepared statement from the National Education Association (NEA), "Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss."

"NEA’s Read Across America also provides NEA members, parents, caregivers, and children the resources and activities they need to keep reading 365 days a year," the statement says.

In cities and towns across the nation, teachers, teenagers, librarians, politicians, actors, athletes, parents, grandparents and others develop NEA’s Read Across America activities to bring reading excitement to children of all ages.

Governors, mayors and other elected officials recognize the role reading plays in their communities with proclamations and floor statements.

Athletes and actors issue reading challenges to young readers.

It all started in May 1997, when a small reading task force at NEA came up with the idea to create a day to celebrate reading. Less than a year later, on March 2, 1998, the first Read Across America Festival was held.

"Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating life-long successful readers," the statement said. "Research
has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school."

In addition to the 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers who make up NEA membership, some 50 national organizations and associations give their support.

"NEA’s Read Across America doesn’t stop with the March 2 celebration," the statement said. "In fact, Read Across America keeps the spotlight on
reading all year long through such events as Teen Read Week, Drop Everything and Read Day, and International Literacy Day.

"This year, NEA takes a greener look at reading, launching NEA’s Lorax Student Earth Day, April 22, with resources and grants for educators," the statement says.

For more information, go to www.nea.org/readacross.