Saturday, March 3, 2012
While kids across the country buried their noses in books in celebration of Friday’s Read Across America day, students at Winfield Scott Elementary had somewhat of a different experience.
The Winfield Scott Leadership Club hosted Kansas illustrator Brad Sneed at Winfield Scott Elementary on Friday in their effort to inspire young readers to look at literature in a different, more exciting way.
Speaking to an audience of more than 400 students from grades kindergarten through second, Sneed explained to the children his role as an illustrator in the book making process.
“I draw and paint pictures,” Sneed said.” Pictures tell a story, too.”
Hands shot up across the auditorium as Kansas illustrator Brad Sneed opened up his program to questions from his audience of more than 400 students at Winfield Scott Elementary. Sneed spoke to the students in grades kindergarten through second in celebration of Read Across America day on March 2.
The Newton, Kan., native spent about 45 minutes with his captivated audience incorporating slides and illustrations into his presentation. Leaving enough time for a few questions, Sneed saw hands shoot up across the auditorium as students desperately wanted their questions answered.
“My dad frames pictures,” one student softly said as her question.
“What do you do when you mess up?” another curiously asked from the back of the room.
Taking a moment for an exercise in imagination, Sneed even free-handed an illustration of an overly-happy pig and dedicated it to “Winfield Scott Readers.”
He ended the program with a reading of a book he illustrated titled “The President Goes to School” by Rick Walton that garnered some giggles from students and teachers alike.
“I think it makes the kids think about books in a different way when they meet someone who creates them,” Sneed said. “Hopefully at this age they like books and now have a better understanding for how those books came to be.”
Sneed added, saying “and I hope they are inspired to do that now, too.”
First-grade teacher Linda Minor, head of the Leadership Club, said her students were reading more this week in anticipation of the day. She said her students visited different reading stations in the morning before Sneed’s program.
“We’re just trying to get them excited about reading,” Minor said.
Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers, according to the National Education Associ-ation Web site.
Research has shown children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school.
Minor said last year the Leadership Club brought the Kansas City Chief’s mascot, the K.C. Wolf. She said the kids were impressed.
In 2009, musical guest Tony Juarez and his son Anthony, of Louisburg, performed for Winfield Scott students.
Celebrated annually on March 2 since 1998, NEA chose the birthday of Dr. Seuss, who once said in the book “I Can Read with My Eyes Shut,” “the more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Angelique McNaughton 