By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Students at a Bloomington grade school consider ‘Read Across America Day’ a cause to celebrate.
Oakland Elementary students spent 118,541 minutes reading in February, nearly tripling its goal in the school’s first read-a-thon.
“(Students are) very passionate about what they do,” principal David LaFrance said. “Once they set their goal, they really have done an amazing job.”
The school’s 480 students in grades K-through-5 raised $4,042 for the school through pledges.
“With the minutes they spent reading they would get a donation,” LaFrance said. “So instead of going home and jumping on their game or watching television, we encourage them spend minutes in their reading daily.”
Grade schools throughout Bloomington-Normal opened their doors on Wednesday to have volunteers read Dr. Seuss books to kids to mark his birthday.
“Storytelling is something that captures the minds of kids, especially with Dr. Seuss,” LaFrance said.
The literacy effort was sponsored locally by United Way of McLean County and the Bloomington Public Library.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
