(Left to right) Romel Anderson, 5, teacher's aid Jackie Powers and Lauren Lee, age 5, add food coloring to a bowl of scrambled eggs while preparing "Green Eggs and Ham" during "Read Across America Day" activities at Seoul American Elementary School, Friday. (Jimmy Norris / S&S)
(Left to right) Romel Anderson, 5, teacher's aid Jackie Powers and Lauren Lee, age 5, add food coloring to a bowl of scrambled eggs while preparing "Green Eggs and Ham" during "Read Across America Day" activities at Seoul American Elementary School, Friday. (Jimmy Norris / S&S)
Parent-volunteer Kevin King helps his five-year-old Alex try on newly-constructed "Cat in the Hat" headwear during the "Read Across America Day" activities in Ruth Ann Emery's kindergarten classroom at Seoul American Elementary School, Friday. (Jimmy Norris / S&S)
YONGSAN Garrison, South Korea
At age 5, Sean Sullivan has yet to learn to read.
Nor does he understand why his school would celebrate a cat’s birthday. But that didn’t stop him and his kindergarten classmates at Seoul American Elementary School on Friday from enjoying the activities of Read Across America Day.
The event, held annually on the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel and sponsored by the National Education Association, is intended to promote a love of reading in children.
“I like ‘Green Eggs and Ham,’” Sean said of both his favorite Dr. Seuss book and the meal of scrambled green eggs and ham the boy’s teachers and fellow students prepared in the morning.
Making breakfast wasn’t the only activity on the menu.
Parent-volunteers were on hand to help the children construct red and white top hats, similar to those seen in “The Cat in the Hat,” and cat-faced notebooks and other craft projects.
Other volunteers read to the children.
While most of the kindergartners at Seoul American elementary don’t read, kindergarten teacher Ruth Ann Emery said the Seuss-inspired activities help pave the way to a lifetime love of reading.
“They’re learning about books, a specific author and the enjoyment of silly rhyming words,” she said.
If the children didn’t know who Dr. Seuss was before the event, they caught on soon enough — kind of.
“He is a cat who writes really good books,” Sean said.
