United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Bears Take Part in Read Across America Day

On Tuesday, March 2nd, five Coast Guard Academy student athletes took part in the National Education Association’s (NEA) Read Across America Day which brings to light to Dr. Seuss’ birthday and literacy.

Senior men’s basketball players Aaron Jones and Stefan Lewis, women’s basketball player Melissa Martinelli, football player Tony Borruso and softball player Courtney Wolf read and held question and answer sessions about the Coast Guard, its Academy and athletics with kindergarten, first and second graders at West Vine Street School in Pawcatuck, Conn.

Some of the student’s donned red and white striped hats and all were very excited to interact with the student athletes and learn more about the Coast Guard, its mission and to get to know their special guest readers.

Tony Borruso reads to a second grade class at West Vine Street School.

The children were very excited for the visit and asked the cadets all sorts of questions ranging from: What does the Coast Guard do. Do you have to go to school like we do? Lewis was even asked by a second grader who his best friend was. In one classroom, the children, so curious about the Coast Guard and the readers, were firing questions for 25 minutes and didn’t even have time for a story and were sad to see their new friends move onto the next class room.

The visit was beneficial to both the student athletes and the elementary school children, who couldn’t stop talking about the visit for the rest of the afternoon.

Courtney Wolf reads a Dr. Seuss book while the children show off the hats they made earlier in the day.

A program of the NEA, now in its eighth year, NEA’s Read Across America Day is celebrated annually on Dr. Seuss's birthday, March 2nd and it generates enthusiasm for reading nationwide and focuses the country’s attention on how important it is to motivate children to read. It's all a way of saying both happy birthday and thank you" to Theodor Seuss Geisel, the children's writer better known as Dr. Seuss.

Geisel wrote more than 40 books in his life, many under the pseudonym of Dr. Seuss (he adopted the pen name "Seuss" while still in college and added the "Dr." later in life).

Melissa Martinelli took part in Read Across America Day.

Reading opens the doors to achievement, and Read Across America Day celebration, whether large or small, is a crucial building block toward making the joys of reading an integral part of every child’s life and the Coast Guard Academy student athletes were happy to be a part of the festivities at West Vine Street School.

Stefan Lewis' reading to a second grade class.

For nearly 20 years, the Coast Guard has supported programs at all levels of education in order to enhance educational opportunities for students while working to enforce traditional values, personal initiative, responsibility and individual self worth. During the Centennial Celebration of CGA in New London, the Academy is teaming up with local communities to promote excellence in education.