Baker education students and volunteers are helping children get excited about reading by participating in the National Education Association’s 11th annual Read Across America campaign. 

The Baker University Student Education Association, the Baker chapter of Kansas NEA, is sponsoring this campaign.

The event will be from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday in the gymnasium of the Primary School in Baldwin City, 700 Chapel St. 

The festivities include snacks, face painting, crafts and reading activities that all have to do with Dr. Seuss books.

BUSEA faculty sponsor Carolyn Doolittle said this is one of the best-attended events considering it takes place in the evening.

Doolittle said she has seen as many as 75 to 80 elementary-aged children participate in Read Across America in the past, and sometimes children are lined up outside the door on the night of the party.

“This is a way to promote literacy among kids,” Doolittle said. “We always have a good turnout.”

Doolittle is excited about the number of new people who decided to get involved this year. <br/>She likes to encourage her students to volunteer for the event by offering them such incentives as a free absence in one of her classes.  She likes to encourage her students to volunteer for the event by offering them such incentives as a free absence in one of her classes.  
She likes to encourage her students to volunteer for the event by offering them such incentives as a free absence in one of her classes.  

Doolittle said the event is planned each year to take place around Dr. Seuss’ birthday.

This year the event falls on his exact date of birth, March 2.

“It was designed to celebrate the work of this important children’s author,” Doolittle said. “Who doesn’t love Dr. Seuss?”

Junior Stephanie Nelson is in charge of much of the planning for the event.

She said BUSEA tries to have one or two volunteers at every station, but also likes to have people help set up the event and donate snacks.

Nelson said at the craft table, the children will be able to make their own hats based on “The Cat in the Hat.”

Besides crafts and reading, Nelson said she has planned some games for the children to play.

Nelson said education majors like her benefit from the opportunity to get to know the children outside of the classroom.

“I really enjoy getting the kids together and reading to them,” Nelson said. “We get to interact with them a lot.”

Junior Avaree McDonald, president of BUSEA, said last year was the first year she was involved in the campaign.

McDonald said she plans to visit the Primary Center Friday during lunch and pass out bookmarks with senior Gary Van Horn, who will be dressed as the Cat in the Hat. 

McDonald said it is great to see Dr. Seuss’ legacy still alive in a younger generation of readers.

“It is basically a big birthday party for Dr. Seuss,” she said. “I loved Dr. Seuss’ books when I was growing up, and it is awesome to see little kids still loving his books.”