Lynwood – The Cat in the Hat and his mischievous friends, Thing 1 and Thing 2, paid a visit to Roosevelt Elementary School to celebrate the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss and to share the gift of literacy with K-6 students for Read Across America on March 1.

Nearly 60 parents, community members and Lynwood High School students, many wearing red-and-white-striped top hats and shirts, brought a multitude of children’s characters to life throughout the day.

“Read Across America reminds us of the importance of reading to our children and instilling within them the importance of literacy,” LUSD Superintendent Paul Gothold said. “Lynwood is committed to ensuring each and every child has the opportunity to excel. Thank you to the Lynwood community for taking the time to support our students.”

Among the guest readers were Lynwood Mayor Pro-Tem Jose Luis Solache, philanthropist Kimberly Moore, Roosevelt campus safety officer Paul Garcia and two deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in Lynwood.

Roosevelt parent Wendy Maldonado read the book “Strawberry Shortcake’s Show and Tell” to a class of kindergartners. For Maldonado, whose children Cairo and Galilea attend Roosevelt, Read Across America underscores the importance of reading and writing proficiency.

“My kids love to read and I love reading to them,” Maldonado said. “I want to be a role model for my children, and if I can get a chance to read to others, it is very gratifying to me.”

The Roosevelt Parent Teacher Organization provided support for the event, decorating the staff lounge, preparing treats such as marshmallow and gummy Cat-in-the-Hats and tangerines dressed as The Lorax, and supplied students with Dr. Seuss stickers and pencils. The PTO also coordinated a classroom decoration contest, with the winning class receiving a pizza party.

“Literacy opens the doors to opportunity for our children,” Roosevelt Principal Sandra Verduzco said. “Read Across America is a special day at Roosevelt. Thanks to the support of our PTO and the wonderful volunteers from throughout our community, we are reinforcing a love of reading.”

Elementary schools across Lynwood Unified School District celebrated Read Across America in their own distinctive ways, with some guest readers dressing up as historical figures and high school students volunteering at campuses across the District.

“I love seeing our entire District celebrate the joy of reading in these fun and creative ways,” LUSD Board President Alma-Delia Renteria said. “By demonstrating for our younger students the importance of reading, they will feel more inspired to read on their own time and boost their literary confidence in class.”

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031317_LUSD_READ: Roosevelt Elementary parent Wendy Maldonado reads the book “Strawberry Shortcake’s Show and Tell” to a class of Roosevelt kindergartners on March 1 at as part of Read Across America. Schools throughout Lynwood Unified celebrated the event in their own distinctive ways, with some guest readers dressing up as historical figures and high school students volunteering at campuses across the District.