March 4, 2009

A reading party to end all reading parties

Kids had a swingin' time at the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum in Salt Lake City, as part of NEA's Read Across America 2009 Cat-a-Van Tours.

CREDIT: © 2009 Paul Fraughton/NEA. Courtesy of the National Education Association. All Rights Reserved.

With temps in the '70s, NEA joined with the Utah Education Association for a hands-on festival of reading inside and out at the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum in Salt Lake City.

Over 475 kindergarten through third grade students from Granger Elementary in West Valley City, Scera Park Elementary in Alpine, and Tooele’s Northlake Elementary were read to by NEA Executive Committee members Mark Cebulski and Carolyn Crowder.

Special guests included KUTV2 News anchor Mary Nichols, Salt Lake City Library Director Beth Elder, and Sheriff Jim Winder.

March 2, 2009

Mile high fun in the Mile High City

Colorado Lt. Governor Barbara O'Brien reads to Denver-area elementary school students just prior to proclaiming March 2 Read Across America Day for Colorado.

CREDIT: © 2009 Matt Herrebout/NEA. Courtesy of the National Education Association. All Rights Reserved.

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter proclaimed Monday, March 2, "NEA Read Across America Day" in Colorado as more than 700 students and volunteers packed the Denver Center for the Performing Arts for the National Education Association's annual celebration of reading.

Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien delivered Ritter's proclamation and read Green Eggs and Ham to students.

The Denver Center, a western landmark second only in size to New York's Lincoln Center, was festooned with balloons as musicians and magicians joined with students from three Denver-area schools for the celebration. The event was led by NEA Executive Committee members Carolyn Crowder and Mark Cebulski and Colorado Education Association (CEA) President Beverly Ingle, joined by dozens of readers including educators, firefighters, police officers. and elected officials.