Judge reads to youngsters at Atwater school

ATWATER -- In sports terms, Shaffer Elementary School launched a full-court press Tuesday to get students to read. Many Merced County schools are launching similar efforts this week to nurture a lifelong love of books.

Tuesday morning, county Superior Court Judge Brian McCabe, a court interpreter, a stenographer and bailiff, spoke to about 65 first-graders at the Atwater school, using a judicial theme to encourage reading.

Shaffer teacher Ellen Maxwell has been pleased with the outcome of the Dr. Seuss-themed program "Read Across America." Children's author Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel, whose birthday was today, penned 44 books, the most famous being "Green Eggs and Ham" and "The Cat in the Hat."

"It was wonderful," Maxwell said. "It was a great time; when we came to the class, the students were eager to get out their books and read."

McCabe, wearing his judicial robe, banged a gavel as "Reading time is now in session" was declared. Ofelia Sandoval, a court interpreter and former Shaffer librarian, read half of "The Ant Bully" by John Nickle to the kids, and McCabe finished the book, which has an anti-bullying theme. The judge also explained to the students how the court functions and encouraged them to read as a way of fueling their imagination.

"The kids had a blast," Sandoval said. "They loved it; they were very attentive."

Shaffer Principal Roger Jackson said the school celebrates reading each March with a week of special activities. A Family Reading Night was held Tuesday night at the school, with teachers reading their favorite books to parents, followed by a meal of chili and cornbread.

Jackson said the school encourages students to go to the library and read newspapers, magazines and books, hoping that will hook them into a lifetime of reading enjoyment.

Maxwell said her first-graders and those of fellow teachers Polly Dickens and Carol Jueneman moved from room to room Tuesday to hear different readers. She said her students have varied reading skills, some reading at kindergarten levels but others proficient at fifth-grade level.

"We have some fabulous readers," Maxwell said.

More than 45 million children are expected to pick up a book and read today as part of the National Education Association's "Read Across America" observance today. The event is part of a weeklong celebration of literature and reading, with the county's school districts participating in a variety of ways.

Other reading programs are scheduled in the Atwater, Gustine, Hilmar, Livingston, McSwain and Merced city school districts.

Peggy Heller Elementary School has several reading programs planned throughout the week. At Gustine Elementary School, each class is having guest readers come to classrooms throughout the day.

Elim Elementary School in Hilmar is planning an annual read-a-thon Friday; in past years, $8,000 to $10,000 has been raised in sponsored reading activities, with proceeds used to buy books for classroom libraries.

Guest readers will entertain at Selma Herndon Elementary School in Livingston and participants are encouraged to dress like their favorite Dr. Seuss book character.

Burbank and Franklin schools in Merced will have schoolwide read-ins today. At Gracey Elementary School, classes will be reading a book from all 50 states and progress will be colored on a map of the United States.

In the McSwain School District, Read Across America is designated as Reading Is Fun Week, with visiting authors and special reading themes, ending with a read-a-thon Friday.

As befitting a Dr. Seuss commemoration, Hilmar school administrators will hold a breakfast of green eggs and ham Friday in the cafeteria, all the while reading from Dr. Seuss books.

Or as Judge McCabe may have parodied the master himself:

I do not like eggs upon my robe

I've never liked ham -- it's almost a phobe

I will not wear them out for a stroll

They do not match my judicial role

You cannot reach a serious verdict

With ham and egg stains oh so derelict

But so many folks like this breakfast treat

That our county cannot be beat

In dairy and livestock and chickens and hay

So as I bang my gavel, hear what I say:

Read a book starting today!

Read a book, hooray hooray!

Merced Sun-Star Reporter Doane Yawger can be reached at dyawger@mercedsun-star. com or 385-2407.

This story was originally published March 2, 2011 at 1:50 AM with the headline "Judge reads to youngsters at Atwater school."