The National Education Association's (NEA) Read Across America is a year-round literacy project that encourages readers, both young and old, to celebrate reading. As we gear up for this year’s celebration, Staff Sergeant Juan N. Cruz, U.S. Army will portray the Cat in the Hat for the second consecutive year. We are excited to have the Cruz family volunteering their services with our program. Virginia Brogden, volunteer coordinator for the event, and Amelia Moss will again take time out of their busy schedules, after working in kindergarten at Ft. Belvoir Elementary School, to join in the many efforts that will inspire kids to embrace STEM through reading adventures, reading explorations, reading discoveries, and reading investigations.
The Cat in the Hat has taken center stage in the past bringing reading excitement with him and now that excitement is brought to a peak as he gets kids excited about "STEM". The theme for the planned activities linking literacy with science, technology, engineering, and math is, “The Cat in the Hat Presents STEM: “What is a Scientist?” The event is on March 5, 2011 from 2:00-4:30 at Canterbury Woods Center in Lake Ridge, VA. Inspired by Educate to Innovate Campaign, President Obama’s initiative to promote a renewed focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education, preschool-2nd grade students can participate in hands-on, inquiry-based learning at the event. Other activities will include a book distribution, games, goody bags, literacy and math stations, science activities and more. STEM4kids: (Kids Embracing STEM), is registered on the NationalLabNetwork.org website and is a subsidiary of CRIBS: Caring Relationships Involving Book Sharing. Barbara G. Edwards, kindergarten teacher at Fort Belvoir Elementary is the director. Staff Sergeant Cruz is the father of Alana Cruz, a first grade student in Mrs. Shroff’s class. For more information visit www.stem4kids.net.