I’d like you to join me in taking a little time to make a big difference in the life of a child.
This week—and every week after—take 30 minutes to read to a child.
March 2 is anniversary of the birthday of Theodore Geisel.
You know him better as Dr. Seuss, the author of The Cat in the Hat, and so many more wonderful children's stories. Generations of children have discovered the joy of reading through his books.
Every year, to honor Dr. Seuss, the National Education Association sponsors a celebration of reading called Read Across America.
The goal is to have every child in every school reading with a caring adult for at least 30 minutes that day.
Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who spend more time reading do better in school.
Bob and I read to our grandchildren all the time. We cherish sharing the stories with them that we used to read to our children. We both know that an early love of reading can spark a life-long interest in learning.
That’s why we both took time out of our week to read to schoolchildren in Raleigh. Bob read "Harry the Dirty Dog" to kindergarten students at Yates Mill Elementary. I read "Oh, the Thinks You Can Think" to two kindergarten classes at Hunter Gifted and Talented Magnet Elementary in Raleigh.
Members of my administration took time to read as well:
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Secretary Linda Hayes read to five classes in Dunn and one in Garner.
Administration Secretary Moses Cary read to students at Creech Road Elementary.
Correction Secretary Alvin Keller read to students in Fayetteville.
Health and Human Services Secretary Lanier Cansler read to students in Hickory.
On Wednesday, Dee Freeman, secretary of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, read Dr. Seuss books to students at Hodge Road Elementary School in Knightdale.
By working together as a community to encourage our children to read we can give them a chance to succeed in school and in life.
To quote Dr. Seuss, "the more you read, the more you know. The more you know, the more places you'll go."
So take the time to read to a child, not just on Read Across America Day.
But every day.