Published: May 01, 2008 12:40 am            

Head Start students celebrate with books

A group of 4-year-old Huntsville Head Start students had a rare opportunity Wednesday — not only did they meet Mother Goose, Clifford the Big Red Dog and Peter Rabbit, but they each received a free book to take home, as well.

On a special field trip to the Region VI Education Service Center for an event known as “Children’s Day/Book Day,” or “El día de los niños/El día de los libros,” the group of 40 students were read to by literary characters and educational specialists.

The children also went on a tour of Region IV and, before leaving, were given one book from the Scholastic bestseller list to take home.

“Everybody’s in on this today — we’ve got educational specialists, technology liaisons, and even a group of students from a Sam Houston State University early childhood inclusion class,” said Nancy Hollis, a Region IV educational specialist who coordinated the event. “Our goal for having this event is to support childhood literacy and to get a book in every home.

“We want to start these students out early in their love of reading.”

When the group of children arrived at Region IV, divided into two groups of 20 students each, they were greeted by employees in costume, including Dennis Macha who was dressed as Clifford the Big Red Dog.

Macha later participated with several other characters, including Mother Goose played by Region IV educational specialist Barbara Lewis, in a reading session with the children.

“We had so many volunteers for the event this morning that we’ll actually have two groups of readers,” Hollis said. “While our ultimate goal this morning is to support literacy, the characters are also going to take the children on a tour of the building and on a reading march.”

While this is the first year for Region IV to participate in a “Children’s Day” celebration, the event has actually been celebrated annually on April 30 since 1925.

According to the American Library Association, “Children’s Day was designated as a day to bring attention to the importance and well-being of children.”

In 1996, children’s book author Pat Mora suggested linking the day with the celebration of children’s literacy, thus founding “El día de los niños/El día de los libros.”

For more information on “El día de los niños/El día de los libros,” visit the American Library Association Web site at http://www.ala.org.

        

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