Roosevelt Elementary opens doors to Burbank community on Read Across America Day
If literacy had a pep rally, it would be Read Across America Day, and its mascot would be Dr. Suess’ main character in “The Cat in the Hat.”
That was the mindset of the National Education Assn. members in 1998 when the organization launched what it describes as the nation’s largest celebration of reading. The day, recognized by the Burbank Unified School District, coincides with Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2 and is meant to motivate students to become lifelong readers.
For more than a decade, Roosevelt Elementary has invited community members to read books in classrooms and link the role of reading to their careers. Linda Walmsley, a retired Roosevelt Elementary teacher, organized the community reading from the start. Although the school skipped it last year, principal Matthew Osmond asked Walmsley to bring the event back this year.
About 20 classrooms took part in the reading and included a variety of participants such as Burbank Mayor Sharon Springer, local fire department personnel, healthcare providers, local business leaders and school district administrators. Each guest read a book from the school’s library.
Kenny Schopp, who opened a Burbank Chick-fil-A franchise in 2019, read “McElligot’s Pool” by Dr. Suess. It’s about a boy named Marco who imagines scenarios of what he could catch while fishing. The kindergarten class listened intently and reacted aloud with the reading.
Prior to becoming a franchise owner, Schopp spent about 10 years teaching in Northern California and Illinois elementary schools.
“My wife and I had a passion to serve and do community service. At one point, we thought we might be missionaries and teach overseas,” he said.
He told the class that Chick-fil-A offers board books year round for children.
Participants stopped to talk to Walmsley on their way out to share what the students said in the classrooms.
Chulada Inc. manager and dental hygienist Gema Sanchez read “One Giant Leap,” a book about the first moon landing, to a fourth-grade class.
The students talked about how reading “takes you to a different place, opens your imagination and gets you away from electronics,” said Sanchez.
She added that the class discussed the connection between reading and the importance of listening.
“I see how happy the kids are to have somebody important in their classrooms, but what is really special is when the people that come to volunteer their time walk out and they are just as full of joy because of what the kids gave to them,” said Walmsley.
