March 15, 2010

On Tuesday, March 2nd, Senator Ken Donnelly marked Read Across America Day with a group of third graders at Francis Wyman School in Burlington. The day, which marks the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel (known by his pen name, “Dr. Seuss”), is a national reading celebration intended to honor the author by encouraging children to read. Senator Donnelly, who serves as vice-chairman of the Joint Committee on Education, chose to read “The Cat in the Hat.”

“It’s a great book that I used to read to my children when they were young, and one that I still read to my grandchildren,” Senator Donnelly said. “Being able to read well—and to enjoy doing it—has a direct effect on the ability of children to succeed.”

After the class, the students all wrote letters to Senator Donnelly to thank him for coming and to ask him questions about his job in the legislature.

“I told them that one of the best things about my job is that I get to meet good readers like them,” Senator Donnelly said.