Education column: Seuss honored at Literacy Night
One car, two cars, blue car, red car
Everywhere I look there are cars, cars, cars
Could you, would you eat hotdogs and chips at school?
Yes, I could and would eat hotdogs and chips at school.
Okay, so it is a feeble attempt at writing like Dr. Seuss, but I did it because I was so inspired by my visit last week to Sandia Elementary School.
In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, it was Literacy Day in the U.S. and it was Family Literacy Night at Sandia Elementary School. Right away, I knew this was going to be an exciting evening, as I could not find a parking spot and it was after 5 p.m.
Thanks to the efforts of the Literacy Night Committee, chaired by Jimmy Marez, not to mention all of the staff and parent volunteers, Sandia’s family night was phenomenal.
Of course, we know if there is food, people will come, and they did. Over 470 people responded to an early invitation, but even more actually attended.
Once families entered the school, they were met by an eager group of students and Sandia staff who guided them to the cafeteria where free hotdogs, chips and drinks were provided to everyone. The building was buzzing with excitement about the decorations, student work, and events planned for the evening.
In the gym, there was additional entertainment, as families could view the wonderful Science Fair displays from the competition earlier in the day. Roxanne Mitchell, the facilitator of the Science Fair, said, “This is the first Science Fair in a number of years. It ties in perfectly with state Science standards and gives students an opportunity to be excited about learning. I am proud of the 150 entries we had this year and I can’t wait to see what we produce next year in hopes of entering the regional science competition.”
After everyone enjoyed their delicious meal and viewing the science displays, they heard guest readers: Duffy Moon, Commissioner Chris Bryant, Deputy District Attorney Brian Stover, Cindy Martin, and Joe Strickland read from various Dr. Seuss books with great entertainment and enthusiasm.
But wait…there’s more. After the guest readers, families chose from one of 17 classrooms to visit where they not only heard another Dr. Seuss reading, but also enjoyed an activity to go along with the book, such as making a hat for “Cat in the Hat.”
What a wonderful event. There were smiles, laughter and even costumes. It was so exciting to see that many families and friends having a great time at school with their children.
Dr. Seuss would be proud.
Penny Bailey is a communication specialist for the Clovis Municipal Schools. She can be reached at penny.bailey@clovis-schools.org.
