Murphy School students Read Across America
Whoever said reading is boring?
Well, it probably wasn't one of the 650 students from W.J. Murphy Elementary School in Round Lake Park.
Students and faculty participated in a weeklong Read Across America celebration with the goal of motivating children to read. School officials incorporated fun activities into this year's event including pajama day, backward day and crazy sock day. It was topped off with an ice cream social sponsored by the school's PTO.
The National Education Association (NEA) held it's first Read Across America event in 1998 to get kids excited about reading. Most schools hold the event the day of Dr. Seuss' birthday on March 2. Murphy School officials expanded the event to multiple days.
Principal Jeff Prickett says the program is perfect because it encourages literacy in teachers and students all day long. He also says it promotes community. Twenty guest readers participated in this year's event at the first- through fifth-grade school.
"We have the mayor out today, we have Round Lake Park police officers, we have district administration, community members, and they are more than happy to come out and read," Prickett said.
According to the NEA, research shows that children do better in school when they are encouraged to spend more time reading.