Encouraging young children to enjoy reading at an early age is one of the most important ways of laying the groundwork for a well-rounded educational experience. With that in mind, Rep. Lisa P. Tomasso (D-Dist. 29, Coventry, West Greenwich) joined volunteers from across the state to participate in the National Education Association’s (NEA) “Read Across America” initiative, which aims to motivate children of all ages to pursue adventures through the written word.
The Rhode Island chapter of the NEA celebrated the day with guest readers at the Warwick Mall, where any child could come hear a story, grab stickers, take home books, pose with Cat in the Hat and win a wide assortment of prizes at no cost.
“I think it was just a fun day for everyone, and that’s the key: reading should be fun,” Representative Tomasso said. “It is important to engage children early so that they will not only be able to build up their literacy skills, but they’ll actually want to go to the library or pick up an E-Reader and dive in. It’s not just words and sentence structures that will appear more familiar to them later on – these are the building blocks for learning math, science, art and many other subjects which we hope our children will be excited to explore.”
Currently in its 16th year, the Read Across America program is celebrated nationwide on or near March 2, the birthday of renowned children’s author, Dr. Seuss.