FUSD - Cypress Celebrates "A Family Reading in the Afternoon with Cat in the Hat"

Cypress Celebrates "A Family Reading in the Afternoon with Cat in the Hat"

On March 2, 2011, red and white striped hats filled the playground as Cypress Elementary School students celebrated Read Across America with “A Family Reading in the Afternoon with Cat in the Hat.”

This annual celebration of esteemed children’s author Dr. Seuss was held in conjunction with the school's Family Reading Night funded by a $2000 grant from Target. Activity areas were set-up around the playground for students to take part in a Scholastic Book Fair, food, games, prizes, and group readings galore. The City of Fontana’s Mobile Recreation Unit was on hand to add to the festive atmosphere. The van’s speakers filled the air with the sounds of Radio Disney, as children jumped up and down and the face-painting artists decorated little arms and cheeks with brightly colored flowers and glittery rainbows (and skulls for the boys).

“Not only is it a day of celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, but it is also a day to inspire great reading for our students,” said teacher Terry Garcia. The celebration’s theme, “Hooray for Diffendoofer Day” was chosen to acknowledge the school’s outstanding staff who teach and encourage their students to explore the joy of reading. “This book was the last piece of work that Dr. Seuss had started but never completed until Jack Prelutsky and Lane Smith executed the final product,” said Ms. Garcia. “It portrays an enlivening picture of teachers performing their many talents and teaching styles to make learning fun.”

Read Across America Day is sponsored by the National Education Association and coincides with Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Born Theodore Geisel, Seuss wrote many books, even some for adults, but is best known for his rhyming sing-song approach to getting children to read. Inspired by a 1954 Life Magazine story on illiteracy that found children did not read because their books were boring, Geisel used 236 words from his publisher’s list of 348 important words to create “The Cat in the Hat” and a legend was born.