Hundreds of KIPP LA students participated in the 20th anniversary of the national “Read Across America Day” program. The event is held each year on March 2, Dr. Seuss’s birthday, to celebrate a love of reading. Learn more from participants below.

Over 40 local, community volunteers were greeted in classrooms by KIPP LA students dressed in pajamas and Cat in the Hat caps to celebrate national Read Across America day. Teachers chose their favorite, age-appropriate books for volunteers to read to the students. The books were then donated to the classrooms and each child received a personal copy to grow their own libraries, as well.

April Leadbetter, a volunteer from Bain & Company, was motivated to participate because she remembered how exciting it was as a student to meet visitors in the classroom. “I feel like a lot of the people I met in my early youth still have a large impact on my life today, and so being able to pay it forward was a great opportunity,” she said.

Ms. Leadbetter, a fan of Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham, found the highlight of the event to be reconnecting “with innocent children and having them find so much joy in us coming to read to them. They were all so attentive and respectful.”

 KIPP Iluminar fourth-grade student, Julian, shared   that it was “fun to have a special person come read   today because they told us about themselves and   the enjoyment of reading, and how cool it is.” Julian   loves reading because “you go on a magical   journey.”

 Studies routinely show a connection between   children who read frequently on their own for fun   and higher achievement in both language,   comprehension, critical thinking and math skills.

 Oh the places our KIPPsters will go as they   continue to cultivate a love of reading in our   classrooms!