WSSU Student-Athletes Participate In Dr.
Seuss’ Read Across America Day
Chris
Zona
KERNERSVILLE, NC –
Eighteen Winston-Salem State University
student-athletes, representing five
different athletic teams visited the
Thomas Cash Elementary School in
Kernersville, NC on Friday morning to
participate in Dr. Seuss’ Reading Across
America Day as WSSU athletes and
administrators spent two hours reading
to elementary students.
WSSU student-athletes from the softball,
football, men’s basketball,
cheerleading, and men’s and tennis teams
as well as WSSU athletic department
administrators were led by program
director and WSSU Associate Director of
Athletics, Tonia Walker as they
participated in a nationally-recognized
reading program that celebrates the
birthday of famed children’s author Dr.
Seuss.
Cash Elementary School, under the
leadership of school principal, Mrs.
Judy Jones and Assistant Principal, Mrs.
Karen Morning-Cain welcomed WSSU
student-athletes to their campus as they
participated in the Seussentenial,
celebrating a century of the magic of
Dr. Seuss’ imagination and encouragement
of exploring
effective tools for teaching young
children the basic skills they need to
be successful and develop a life-long
love of reading
The WSSU student-athletes were each
paired with an elementary classroom and
engaged in a reading session and a
question and answer period with the
850-plus elementary-aged students in the
kindergarten through fifth grade levels
at Cash Elementary School.
The program, a collaborative effort
spearheaded by Cash Elementary School’s
Media Coordinator, Mrs. Deborah Fidali
and WSSU’s Associate Director of
Athletics, Tonia Walker continues to
solidify Winston-Salem State
University’s commitment to community
outreach and personal service.
“We accept the charge to be ambassadors
demonstrating good citizenship for all
of our community youth” WSSU Associate
Director of Athletics, Tonia Walker
said. “In addition to highlighting the
importance of reading, it is always our
intent to promote good sportsmanship
through the love of athletics”.
A program of the National Education
Association (NEA) now in its eighth
year, NEA’s Read Across America
Day--celebrated annually on or around
Dr. Seuss's birthday (March
2)--generates enthusiasm for reading
nationwide and focuses the country’s
attention on how important it is to
motivate children to read.
“We truly appreciate the WSSU
student-athletes for their willingness
to come and participate by acting as
role models for our students as they
help stress the importance of reading on
a daily basis for pleasure and
enjoyment” Cash Elementary School
Assistant Principal, Mrs. Karen
Morning-Cain said.
WSSU student-athletes, under the
leadership of Tonia Walker, WSSU
Associate Director of Athletics and the
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
participate in community service efforts
that seek to enhance their experience as
Rams through leadership opportunities.
In 2006-07 over 150 WSSU
student-athletes volunteered more than
800 hours, reaching thousands of local
children.
For additional information on the WSSU
CHAMPS Life Skills, Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee, or other WSSU
Department of Athletics community
service efforts, contact the WSSU Office
of Athletic Media Relations at (336)
750-2143 or log on to the Official
Website of WSSU Athletics at
WSSURams.com.
Chris Zona