DOINews: DOI Employees Participate in National Read Across America Initiative at D.C. Local Schools

04/20/2015
Last edited 09/05/2019
Group photo of volunteers and a student wearing red and white top hats.
Representatives from the Department of the Interior gather for a group photo on March 2, 2015 at the Read Across America Program at School Without Walls at Francis Stevens Campus. (Volunteers, from left, are Tamara Lukjanczuk, BOEM; Tracey Crockett, NPS; Lisa Mendelson, NPS. Also photographed is Sofia Mendelson fourth-grade student at School Without Walls at Francis Stevens Campus. Volunteers, back row from left, are Tara Morrison, NPS; Shelia Wing, NPS; Holly Ratcliff, NPS; Joan Heyward, NPS; Jocelyn Coles, NPS; and Ebonee Mayo-Mitchell, NPS.) Photo by Brenda Woods, DOI.
Two volunteers wearing red and white top hats display the books they read to students
Department of the Interior volunteers pose for a photo on March 16, 2015, at the Read Across America Program at C. Melvin Sharpe Health School. (Volunteers, from left, are David Banks, NPS, and Sabrina McCarthy, SOL.) Photo by Brenda Woods, DOI.
Three volunteers displaying the books they read to students

Department of the Interior volunteers gather for a group photo on March 16, 2015 at the Read Across Program at C. Melvin Sharpe Health School. (Volunteers, from left, are Alma Ripps, NPS, Marcia Keener NPS, and Deborah Nordeen, NPS.) Photo by Brenda Woods, DOI.

On March 2, and March 16, representatives from the Department of the Interior served as guest readers for the National Read Across America Initiative at three of DOI's partner schools. The volunteers read a children's book to students. The schools included C. Melvin Sharpe Health School, Ross Elementary School, and School Without Walls at Francis Stevens Campus. This reading initiative was created by the National Education Association to promote reading for children. The event traditionally coincides with the birth date March 2, of children's author Theodore Geisel, known as Dr. Seuss.
To support the Read Across America Initiative, DOI participates annually in this reading program at its partner schools. Motivating children to read is an important factor to student achievement. Department of the Interior volunteers included Sabrina McCarthy, attorney advisor, Division of Indian Affairs, Office of the Solicitor; Lisa Mendelson, deputy regional director, National Park Service; Tamara Lukjanczuk, chief, program coordination, Office of Budget and Program Coordination, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management; Holly Ratcliff, intern, Office of International Affairs, NPS; Sterling Rideout, assistant director, program support directorate, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement; Tara Morrison, superintendent, Rock Creek Park, NPS; Colleen Derber, staff assistant, NPS; Joan Heyward, administrative technician, NPS; Tracey Crockett, chief, acquisition, financial assistance and property management, NPS; Ebonee Mayo-Mitchell, human resources specialist, NPS; Jocelyn Cole, park ranger, NPS; Marcia Keener, program analyst, NPS; Deborah Nordeen, program analyst, NPS; Alma Ripps, chief, policy office, NPS; David Banks, grants manager, NPS; and Shelia Wing, volunteer, NPS.

The guest readers entered the classrooms wearing the red and white top hat worn by the Cat character, in the children's book titled "The Cat and the Hat" by Seuss. In some of the classes the hats were passed out to several of the students to wear. The students giggled as they put the hats on. The students sat eagerly waiting for the stories to start.

The DOI guest readers were enthusiastic to read to the students and shared their experiences. McCarthy said, “As usual, the students were high-spirited and eagerly responded to questions about the readings. I look forward every year to visiting Sharpe Health School for this event because the students, teachers and staff take great pride in their school.”

“Being a part of the Read Across America Program at Ross Elementary School, was a great opportunity to reach out to young people and show the fun in reading,” Rideout said. “I enjoyed seeing the excitement, enthusiasm and light in the eyes of the kid as I read through the books. They were very attentive and truly look interested. With all the electronic gadgets today, it makes me feel good that the excitement and art of reading is not lost and kids still enjoy a good book.”

Mendelson said, “I read the Dr. Seuss book titled "The Lorax" with Ms. Wolf's kindergarten students at School Without Walls at Francis Stevens Campus and enjoyed some conversation with them on plant lifecycles, rare and threatened plants, and how we tell stories and help others understand the world around them. The kids knew they went to a school next to a national park, Rock Creek Park, and were totally engaged!”

“I really enjoyed participating in such a worthwhile program that brings together federal employees and local schools in our community,” Ripps said. “Although the school serves students that have severe disabilities; you could see their faces light up when they started hearing the familiar words of such Dr. Seuss classics as 'Green Eggs and Ham.' It proves that words in a book can reach any child, no matter what the disability.”

School Without Walls at Francis Stevens Campus, serve students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The reading program at the School was coordinated by Kayla Steltz, teacher, Early Childhood Education. Sharon Bell, registrar/administrative assistant, coordinated the reading program at C. Melvin Sharpe Health School. The school serve students with special needs from age 5 through 21.

Gregory Flanagan, librarian, coordinated the reading program at the Ross Elementary School. The school serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Other partnership program activities at the DOI partner schools have included DOI employees serving as guest speakers, science-fair judges, career-fair participants, and coordinators of field trips to local DOI-managed sites.

For additional information about the Educational Partnerships Program and volunteer opportunities, contact Brenda Woods, program manager at (202) 208-3617 or via e-mail Brenda_woods@ios.doi.gov.

By: Brenda Woods, program manager, Educational Partnerships Program, OS, DOI
April 20, 2015

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