{"id":4468,"date":"2014-02-25T08:49:02","date_gmt":"2014-02-25T13:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=4468"},"modified":"2014-02-24T16:09:44","modified_gmt":"2014-02-24T21:09:44","slug":"crowd-pleasing-literacy-celebration-continues-to-grow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=4468","title":{"rendered":"Crowd-pleasing literacy celebration continues to grow"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hundreds expected to converge at CASH for \u2018Read Across America\u2019 on Friday<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n
\n

By Kathleen Brady Shea<\/strong>,\u00a0Managing Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"West<\/a>

West Caln Township Police Chief Curt Martinez, who read a Dr. Seuss book during the 2013 \u201cRead Across America\u201d program, will return for this year\u2019s event.<\/p><\/div>\n

Don\u2019t let the heavy police presence deter you from attending the annual \u201cRead Across America\u201d festivities planned for Coatesville Area Senior High School on Friday night: Local gendarmes will be having as much fun as the hundreds of families who\u2019ve learned that this is a not-to-be-missed event.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The law-enforcement contingent will promote literacy through entertainment by reading from a tongue-twisting selection of Dr. Seuss books \u2013 just one of the myriad activities that will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the high school.<\/p>\n

Third-time co-chairs Traci Tury, a Kings Highway kindergarten teacher, and Michele Ollis, a Reeceville Elementary primary learning support teacher, said they began their planning during last year\u2019s extravaganza, which drew about 700, a number that increases each year.<\/p>\n

\"Lt.<\/a><\/p>\n

At the time, the pair couldn\u2019t have anticipated this year\u2019s weather, but the selection of guest auth0r\/illustrator Lee Harper should especially resonate with participants: One of Harper\u2019s books is\u00a0Snow! Snow! Snow!<\/em>\u00a0Other titles includeThe Emperor\u2019s Cool Clothes<\/em>,\u00a0Turkey Trouble<\/em>, and\u00a0Woolbur<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Hosted by the Coatesville Area Teacher Association (CATA) with support from the Coatesville Area School District, the \u201cRead Across America\u201d event has proven so popular that this year\u2019s version features an extra hour to squeeze in more attractions, specifically a free concert from 8 to 9 p.m. by crowd-pleasing singer\/songwriter John Flynn. Before that \u2013 in addition to watching law enforcement go by the book \u2013 attendees will be treated to spellbinding tales from local storyteller Deb Pieri.<\/p>\n

Besides stories, a variety of craft stations, opportunities for physical activity in the gym, light refreshments, and a raffle with donations from local businesses will be available. The CHIP Program will be offering child identification kits, and Chester County Dental and Paoli Hospital will be among the organizations hosting booths.<\/p>\n

Tury and Ollis said the celebration of literacy would not be possible without the more than 100 energetic, community volunteers who lend a hand. Organizers also received a boost from this year\u2019s student assistants, who have come from the Coatesville Youth Initiative, Joint Service\u2019s Military Corps (formerly ROTC), and Chester County Futures.<\/p>\n

The \u201cRead Across America\u201d program, an offshoot of a national initiative, began in 1997 when a reading task force at the National Education Association (NEA) suggested \u201ca day to celebrate reading,\u201d according to the NEA web site. They reasoned that an activity proven to boost student achievement in school certainly deserved widespread festivities. And since one of children\u2019s most beloved authors is Dr. Seuss, the event occurs each year on or near his birthday, which is March 2.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hundreds expected to converge at CASH for \u2018Read Across America\u2019 on Friday By Kathleen Brady Shea,\u00a0Managing Editor, The Times Don\u2019t let the heavy police presence deter you from attending the annual \u201cRead Across America\u201d festivities planned for Coatesville Area Senior High School on Friday night: Local gendarmes will be having as much fun as the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,7,12],"tags":[2940,2941,1519,2942,2943,196,2944,1574,2945,2946,2947,2948,2704],"class_list":["post-4468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-featured","category-schools","tag-read-across-america","tag-chester-county-dental","tag-chester-county-futures","tag-chip-program","tag-coatesville-area-senior-high-school","tag-coatesville-youth-initiative","tag-dr-seuss","tag-john-flynn","tag-joint-services-military-corps","tag-kings-highway-elementary","tag-lee-harper","tag-national-education-association-nea","tag-reeceville-elementary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4468"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4468\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}