By Jolene Farley
Hundreds of Minnesota schools and libraries participated in Read Across America this week, an annual event commemorating the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss, creator of "Cat in the Hat."
Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary served traditional Dr. Seuss fare, "Green Eggs and Ham," for lunch on Thursday. The menu included hard-boiled eggs dyed green and ham sandwiches with cheese topping.
Friday Peer Helpers from H-BC High School read to elementary students. Some teachers added a stripe on their Dr. Seuss hats for every book read.
Monday afternoon Sioux Falls Sky Force player Carlos Daniel came to visit the elementary school. Students asked Daniel a variety of questions about his life. Daniel is a 6-foot-8-inch forward for the basketball team.
Daniel good-naturedly answered all questions, including his favorite cartoon character (Dark Wing Duck) and his shoe size (15).
After their visit with Daniel, students warmed up for their game against the H-BC faculty. The faculty won the game 36-26, but the students put up a good fight.
Read Across America helps encourage adults to read aloud with children, enhancing youngsters' reading skills and promoting the fun of reading.
Read Across America is sponsored by the National Education Association and by Education Minnesota, in cooperation with the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Other partners include BookPALS and the Minnesota Twins.