They heard a Who.  Ate green eggs and ham.  Dressed like a Cat in the Hat.  And maxed out on the Lomax.  Elementary school students across the East Baton Rouge Parish School System celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday Tuesday, March 2, and beyond by reading his books during the National Education Association’s Read Across America event.  Now in its 13th year, the year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources.

Locally, reading volunteers at various school sites ranged from East Baton Rouge School Board members, pastors and city officials to LSU and Southern University athletes and coaches, law enforcement officers, media representatives and professional football players and their mothers.

For instance, at LaSalle Elementary School, School Board member W.T. Winfield (first photo, right) read to a classroom full of captivated students like Triston Brannon (front row, center) and Chandlar Hale (at right).  Capitol Elementary School Principal Mona Collins (second photo, left) met with NFL star running back Mewelde Moore (right) of the Pittsburgh Steelers after his classroom reading stint.  Moore, a graduate of Belaire High School, signed and donated his sneakers, which will be awarded later to the top LEAP test scorers in the fourth grade.

At Winbourne Elementary School, Kathy Dupuis (third photo, right), a Louisiana Association of Educators representative dressed as the Cat in the Hat, visited with first-grade student Tanassity Turner in Stephanie St. Cyr’s (left) class.  In addition, two staff members at Park Elementary School were “la rouge” in Baton Rouge during their school-wide celebration.  Parent liaison Willette Butler (left) and guidance counselor Shanta McCall (right) did the “reading thing” dressed as Thing 2 and Thing 1, respectively.