March 4, 2009

Everything's coming up roses in Portland

Portland Association of Teachers president Rebecca Levinson accepts a check on behalf of Clark Elementary School. The $1,000.00 check from NEA's Read Across America will be used to buy books for the school's library.

CREDIT: © 2009 Photo by Don Blake/NEA. Courtesy of the National Education Association. All Rights Reserved.

The Cat-a-van made a stop in the City of Roses today and everything smelled sweet.

The Cat in the Hat met two hundred thirty first graders from King and Clark Elementary to encourage them to stop and smell the roses and make time to read.

NEA Executive Committee members Christy Levings read Hooray for Diffendoofer Day and Len Paolillo read The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. Students were also treated to a story from Portland Trailblazer Chris Dudley. Chris read from a book he and his wife authored that describes how he realized his dream of becoming a basketball player despite suffering from diabetes.

The only thorns in this rose were Thing One and Thing Two; Thing One sat next to Oregon’s governor and pouted! Governor Kulongoski also lead students in the oath to read.

It was a great event.

March 2, 2009

Seuss was on the loose in Seattle!

Seattle Seahawks Offensive Lineman Walter Jones reads Green Eggs and Ham to Seattle students. Over 300 students from Cooper, Maple and Bailey Gatzert elementary schools gathered Monday at the popular Pacific Science Center to listened to Jones read.

CREDIT: © 2009 Photo by Don Blake/NEA. Courtesy of the National Education Association. All Rights Reserved.

Nearly 400 students from Bailey Gatzert, Cooper, and Maple Elementary Schools packed the Pacific Science Center to see celebrities and the beloved Cat in the Hat, plus Things 1 and Thing 2.

NEA Executive Member Christy Levings donned her red and white stovepipe hat while Len Paolillo dressed in a professor's robe to take on the persona of Professor Read-a-Lot, as he read The Cat in the Hat Comes Back.

M. J. McDermott, a meteorologist from the local FOX station, did an excellent job emceeing the program and getting the students excited about the day's festivities. Seattle Seahawk player Walter Jones brought down the house with his rendition of Green Eggs and Ham. The students repeated every single line as he read, leaving the adults in stitches. And Miss Washington Janet Harding led the students in a reading pledge. She was right at home because she's studying to be a teacher!

After the event, the students were treated to lunch and an exciting laser light show set to music. Each student received a bag filled with books and other goodies to encourage literacy and remind them of this special day.

It was truly a party with a purpose! On to Portland ...