Mississippi Students Join Read Across America Day

Volunteer Reader, Rebecca Harrell and Lee Elementary Teacher, Derrick Johnson as Dr. Seuss' the cat In The Hat

Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading. MPB's Lawayne Childrey takes us to an event at Lee Elementary School in Jackson.

Rebecca Harrell of Jackson read to the Lee Elementary students from a classic Dr Seuss book.

“Can everybody see it now? “Yes Ma'am”, don’t knock at his door…”

The National Education Association began Read Across America Day in 1998 as a way to emphasize the importance of literacy. Kevin Gilbert is president of the NEA in Mississippi.

“It could help solve a lot of our high school drop-out situations. If we make school enjoyable for our children early on in age it can also help in making sure that our students pass all the necessary testing that they need so it makes it that much easier for them to be successful later on down the line.”

Statistics show Mississippi consistently ranks at the bottom when it comes to childhood literacy, and State Senator David Blount of Jackson is hoping a love for reading will expand into more Mississippi households.

“If you learn to read before third grade you’ll read to learn for the rest of your time in education. So you’ve gotta learn to read before you can learn science, before you can learn math, history, social studies, government, anything else that’s gonna be taught as a child gets older all comes from reading.”

Hundreds of teachers, and volunteers took time to read to students yesterday across the country.
For MPB News, I'm Lawayne Childrey.