Brightly colored paper truffula trees in the school hallway, students in weird and wonderful costumes, and soft cushions and blankets spread all over the gymnasium: This was the scene on Monday, March 2, when McMinnville Adventist Christian School (MACS) honored the birthday of the author Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. The students did this by spending an hour in the school gymnasium reading to themselves or by being read to by guest readers Keith Zaugg, Glen Westlund, Ardyth Grandi and Beverly Joubert.
Many of the students dressed up as their favorite book characters. Among the Cats in Hats, Loraxes and Things were others like Harriet Tubman, Tin-Tin, Garfield, Tom Sawyer and David the Shepherd Boy. Even the teachers joined in. The principal, Elizabeth Fish, wore an orange jumpsuit and a bright blue wig portraying Thing 1. Verlaine Linrud depicted Sarah, Plain and Tall, and Traci Weakly dressed up like Cat in the Hat.
Kylie John, MCAS home and school leader, organized some other fun activities for the readers, which included drawing Seuss characters and planting truffula trees (marigolds). She also handed out treats to the three readers in each class that had read the most minutes over a period of four weeks.
The last activity was to settle down on a pillow or a blanket with some popcorn to watch The Lorax.
When asked what she had enjoyed most about the day, Gracie Edgy, a first-grader, said, “I liked planting the truffula seeds and learning to draw the Lorax.” One of the seventh-graders, Caleb Kirk, said he appreciated having a longer time to read his book, The War Within.
The event proved a fun way to honor a beloved author and to experience the world of books.
Elizabeth Fish, MACS principal, is surrounded by Gracie Edgy (left) and Hannah John as they represent Thing 1 and 2 from the Dr. Seuss book The Cat in the Hat.
Diego Sanchez, Jackson John and Oliver John listen as Beverly Joubert, guest reader, reads a Dr. Seuss book about pets.
Glenn Westlund, guest reader, reading an animal story from The Jungle Book to Isaiah Mahn and Joas Garcia.
