BAKERSFIELD, CA--Children and their parents explored their own imaginations through storytelling in an event promoting literacy. The seventh annual Read Across Bakersfield was hosted by the Bakersfield Elementary Teachers Association.
Sunday's event not only celebrated reading to children it also honored the man who brought you the “Cat in the Hat, “The Lorax,” and “Green Eggs and Ham,” Theodor Geisel or you might know him as Dr. Seuss.
"Learning is supposed to be memorable, be magical and meaningful and that is what we are doing today,” said Michelle Johnson, president of The Bakersfield Teachers Association. “We are making learning fun."
Bakersfield teachers hope to deliver a little fun and magic from books, because in a recent study by Central Connecticut University out of 76 cities with a population of 250,000 or more Bakersfield ranked dead last in literacy. Jennifer Husky brought her child to the event and thinks the solution is starting children to read as early as you can.
“My older daughter I started out when I was pregnant and I did the same with her and she loves to read."
The event featured games outside the Fox and honored Dr. Seuss whose birthday is coming up on March 2.
"We need to celebrate the great work that Dr. Seuss did,” said Greg Johnson, with the National Education Association. “What better way to celebrate reading. You know you are never too old, too wacky, too wild to celebrate reading with a child.”
After the block party parents and children were ushered inside the Fox Theater for story time. Local celebrities like Dolores Huerta read to the audience.
Jesus Torres knows reading will benefit his child's education, but sharing a book is also meaningful because it is the time father and son spend together.
"I felt like when I read they paid more attention,” Torres said. “I think it is real good because it just opens doors in their imagination."
Sunday's event not only celebrated reading to children it also honored the man who brought you the “Cat in the Hat, “The Lorax,” and “Green Eggs and Ham,” Theodor Geisel or you might know him as Dr. Seuss.
"Learning is supposed to be memorable, be magical and meaningful and that is what we are doing today,” said Michelle Johnson, president of The Bakersfield Teachers Association. “We are making learning fun."
Bakersfield teachers hope to deliver a little fun and magic from books, because in a recent study by Central Connecticut University out of 76 cities with a population of 250,000 or more Bakersfield ranked dead last in literacy. Jennifer Husky brought her child to the event and thinks the solution is starting children to read as early as you can.
“My older daughter I started out when I was pregnant and I did the same with her and she loves to read."
The event featured games outside the Fox and honored Dr. Seuss whose birthday is coming up on March 2.
"We need to celebrate the great work that Dr. Seuss did,” said Greg Johnson, with the National Education Association. “What better way to celebrate reading. You know you are never too old, too wacky, too wild to celebrate reading with a child.”
After the block party parents and children were ushered inside the Fox Theater for story time. Local celebrities like Dolores Huerta read to the audience.
Jesus Torres knows reading will benefit his child's education, but sharing a book is also meaningful because it is the time father and son spend together.
"I felt like when I read they paid more attention,” Torres said. “I think it is real good because it just opens doors in their imagination."