By Harold Reutter
harold.reutter@theindependent.com

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Independent/Lane Hickenbottom Gates Elementary School first-graders Dalton Vieth (left) and Dominic Pfeifer read Dr. ,Seussą łOne Fish, Two Fish Red Fish, Blue Fish˛ Monday to residents of Tiffany Square Care Center, including Naomi Samuelson (right). Students from across the area were celebron ating Dr. Seussą birthday Monday, a day the National Education Association designated as Read Across America Day. Independent/Lane Hickenbottom Gates students Fabiana Almodovar (left) and Myah Mattke read a book to Tiffany Square residents Monday. Click Thumbnails to View

Students in Grand Island were reading not only in their schools, but a few also went to other locations to read.

Five Gates Elementary students went to Tiffany Square Care Center Monday morning to read a variety of books in a brief "readers theater."

Gates Principal Julie Martin accompanied the students and set up a portable microphone system so they could be heard by the small audience of residents and staff.

First up was first-grader Dalton Vieth, who read "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" by Dr. Seuss. Dalton placed his book on a music stand, with fellow first-grader Dominic Pfeifer serving as his page turner.

Dalton was followed by Samantha Bonczynski, who read "Someday," with Dominic next reading "Just Grandpa and Me."

The finale was performed by third-graders Fabiana Almodovar and Myah Mattke, who jointly read "All the Places to Love." Unlike the other students, they placed their book on a table so audience members could enjoy the illustrations.

Martin said she put out a memo to her teachers, asking for students who they thought would do a good job reading at Tiffany Square.

In addition to the five students who read at Tiffany Square, Martin said, the entire fifth-grade class went to Lebensraum Retirement Home to read to residents there. Martin told the audience that they helped the students by listening to the kids read aloud.

"It helps us become more fluent readers whenever we are able to read aloud to others," she said.

"Just Grandpa and Me," "Someday" and "All the Places to Love" are not Dr. Seuss books.

Martin said teachers picked the books because they believed the books might be especially valued by residents at Tiffany Square.

Dalton was the lone exception to the rule.

"I got to pick the book," he said.

Dalton said he picked his copy of "One Fish, Two Fish " because another book was falling apart.

At first, Martin thought that Dalton meant he had to pick a different title than he originally wanted, but the first-grader explained that the book that was falling apart also was "One Fish, Two Fish ."

"It must be a popular book," Martin said.

Schools in Grand Island celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday in a variety of ways.

Some had guest readers come in to read to students. Others had special decorations or let the students wear special hats or other apparel to celebrate the day.

A few Grand Island schools even have special activities or contests for the remainder of the week to promote reading by young people.