“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child,” Dr. Seuss. For several weeks students and staff at the Cleveland Job Corps Center eagerly planned for the nation’s largest reading event, “Read Across America Day.”

The National Education Association founded “Read Across America” in 1997 to encourage and boost reading among children, the event usually corresponds with Dr. Seuss’ birthday. In 2016, Job Corps joined the campaign by initiating “Read to Lead” to increase literacy skills and promote a passion for reading for students.

Unfortunately, weather conditions in the area left the Cleveland Job Corps students and staff a bit dismayed on March 2, 2018, as the news of a “snow day” meant the “Read Across America Day” events they planned would be canceled. Nonetheless, the students didn’t allow the minor setback to hinder them and contacted the organizations to reschedule.

On March 9, 2018, Iowa-Maple Elementary School, East Clark Elementary School, Collinwood Academy Daycare and Eliza Bryant Village Nursing Home welcomed twenty Cleveland Job Corps students accompanied by four staff members to their facilities for a reading extravaganza.

Cleveland Job Corps Reading Instructor, Camale Allen, accompanied students Aria Atkinson, Alonzo Mann, LaNaija Vaughn, Imani Walker and Chevin Felder to Iowa-Maple Elementary School.
Cleveland Job Corps Reading Instructor, Lynette Greene, accompanied students Moenika Christian, Tamyra Head, Briana Pannell, Jamale Stewart, Aisha White and Mariah Whitlow to East Clark Elementary School.
Cleveland Job Corps Student Government Association Coordinator, Tiffany Artis, accompanied Diamond Williams, Tiara LuSane, Jasmine Owens, Aniquiana Kurtz, Elijah Rowland and George Gattison to Collinwood Academy Daycare.
Cleveland Job Corps Leisure Time Learning Coordinator, Lenae Fann, accompanied Moses Franklin, Theo Gamble and Samiya Saulsberry to Eliza Bryant Village Nursing Home.

The students did an amazing job reading to the elementary schools, daycare, and nursing home. They enjoyed it so much that they are planning more reading engagements throughout the year. The event not only empowered Cleveland Job Corps students by allowing them to hone in on their reading skills, but also through their mentoring of the children and seniors within their community.