Student government celebrates reading on Dr. Seuss Day
Photo by Aaron Veincent
Senior Hunter Worth reads “Horton Hears a Who!” to second-graders. Student government members joined the elementary haumāna Friday for Dr. Seuss Day. They spent the day reading books and participating in related activities.
March 2 marked the 114th birthday of beloved children’s book writer Dr. Seuss, and schools nationwide used the occasion to participate in Read Across America Day, a celebration that has the whole nation reading to children.
The National Education Association began the celebration twenty years ago to motivate children to read. This year, the Kamehameha Schools Maui high school student government joined in.
“The idea for the event came up at [a Maui District Student Council Organization] meeting in January,” student activities coordinator Kumu Taylissa Lehano said.
At the meeting, student government representatives from all Maui schools came together and discussed what was currently happening at their schools, and they brainstormed about school events. They came up with the idea of participating in Read Across America as a community service activity that they would all take part in in March. The previous month’s community service activity was a food drive.
On Friday, a handful of student government members missed a few classes to head up to the elementary campus to read to their younger haumāna.
Senior Kennedy-Kainoa Tamashiro reads “If I Ran the Zoo” to third graders after lunch.
“It was fun being able to be more a part of our younger campus,” senior Kennedy-Kainoa Tamashiro said. “Dr. Seuss books are tricky to read with all the weird names, but the kids seemed to really enjoy it.”
There were two shifts, one in the morning with kindergartners and fourth- and fifth-graders, and a second shift in the afternoon with second- and third-graders.
“It’s good that you guys come because the kids have somebody to look up to,” third grade teacher Ms. Wendy Doyle said.
A few of the groups also had the chance for Dr. Seuss activities, like eating green eggs and ham or making Dr. Seuss hats.
“Just having that interaction with [the children], is very helpful for them. They just enjoy spending time with [their upperclassmen]. [They’re the kids’] role models,” Ms. Doyle said.
