By Debbie Adams
Herman L. Horn Elementary School in Vinton celebrated “Read Across America Day” (also
known as Dr. Seuss Day) on March 6, joined by members of the Vinton Breakfast Lions Club,
the William Byrd High School Leo Club (sponsored by the Lions), and several student athletes
from Byrd.
The visitors were assigned to classrooms where they read their favorite books to students in
grade levels K-5.
Members of the Lions Club who participated included Jeff Mason, John Berry, Sam Cundiff, Jeff
Stovall, Dave Shimp, Anthony Conner, Gary Melchers, Chris McCarty, Zach McCarty, Tim
Greenway, Peggy Stovall, Bob Benninger, and Neil Zimmerman.
left): front row, Peggy Stovall, Sam Cundiff, Jeff Stovall, Jeff Mason, Gary Melchers, and Bob
Benninger; back row, Zach McCarty, Chris McCarty, Anthony Conner, Tim Greenway, and
Dave Shimp. Neil Zimmerman is not pictured. (photos by Debbie Adams)
Leo Club members reading at HLH included Kendall Agee, Emmalee Harris, Darin Witcher,
Olivia Lorek, Lily Carrell, Caleb Brunk, Arianna Krista, Maddy Brown, Skye Williams, Bella
Trumble, Carleigh Leonard, Carina DiBenedetto, and Jamya Rosborough.
Herman L. Horn for Read Across America Day. From left are: front row, Arianna Krista,
Emmalee Harris, Kyndall Agee, and Skye Williams; back row, Connor Whitehead, Leo Club
sponsor Lisa Stover, Carleigh Leonard, Lily Carrell, Caleb Brunk, Darin Witcher, Jamya
Rosborough, Taylor Jacobsen, Bella Trumble, Maddy Brown, and Carina DiBenedetto. Olivia
Lorek is not pictured.
Students athletes from William Byrd reading to students included Kara Watkins, Makenzie Scott,
Cason Nichols, Kevin Green, Justyn Rozenboom, Keith Schult, Kalee Hayes, Bryce Simpson,
Anna Carter, Jason Hernandez, C.D. Boykin, Ava Sexton, Tyson Brady, Kayla Lovern, Conner
Whitehead, and Ryleigh Grubb.
Day included (from left): front row, Cason Nichols, Keith Schult, Bryce Simpson, and Anna
Carter: back row, CD Boykin, Conner Whitehead, Jason Hernandez, Justyn Rozenboom,
Darin Witcher, Tyson Brady, Kevin Green, Kaylee Hayes, Ryleigh Grubb, and Kara Watkins.
Makenzie Scott, Ava Sexton, and Kayla Lovern are not pictured.
Readers brought their favorite books from home or chose one from the selections available at the
school. They read to the students and then answered questions about themselves that the HLH
students asked.
Student Taylor Jacobsen read to Wendy Niday’s kindergarten students who were not shy about
asking a variety of questions:
- What is your favorite color? (pink)
- What grade are you in? (senior)
- Where are you going to college? (Virginia Tech to major in health and exercise)
- What is your favorite animal? (platypus)
- Do you have a job? (yes, at the golf club)
- What other activities do you do? (cheerleading for most of her life)
Niday’s class.
Lion Tim Greenway, who represents Vinton on the Roanoke County School Board, was
peppered with suggestions for how to improve the schools. He took notes and agreed to present
them to the school personnel in charge of each request. Their concerns were:
- More recess
- Swings on the playground
- More absorbent paper towels or hand-dryers
- Colder water in the water fountains
- Microwaves in the cafeteria for upper grades to heat up their lunches
- Doors with foot-openers
- Filtered water, better quality
Read Across America Day was launched in 1998 by the National Education Association and
remains the nation’s largest celebration of reading, with millions participating each year. Read
Across America Day calls upon everyone to read and engage with children to make reading a
more fun and interactive experience.
The nationwide celebration takes place annually near the March 2 birthday of children’s author
and cartoonist Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known by his pen name, Dr. Seuss. The day
encourages children to experience the joys of reading.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more
places you’ll go,” Geisel wrote in one of his books.
March was also chosen for the observance because March is traditionally designated as National
Reading Month.
Read Across America Day at HLH was coordinated by Reading Specialist Dorr Booan.
