In honor of World Read Aloud Day Feb. 5, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Children’s Learning and Care Center invited several members of the campus community, including Chancellor Andy Leavitt, to read to the children throughout the week.
Seeing Chancellor Leavitt in the hallway of the center caused quite a bit of excitement among the students, with shouts of “the Chancellor is here!” bouncing around the classrooms.
UWO Children’s Learning and Care Center Director Susan Finkel-Hoffman said that an average of 10 to 12 daily guest readers were invited to delight students by reading them stories throughout the week.
Provost John Koker, UWO Police Officer Ashley Fick, Student Recreation and Wellness Director Nathan Scott and many other UWO faculty and staff members were included as guest readers. Finkel-Hoffman also mentioned that several parents of children at the center who are UWO student, UWO employees and community members also took time out of their work week to read to the children.
World Read Aloud Day is focused on bringing awareness to the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories and to advocate for literacy for all.
Julie Dey, administrative assistant, said the center puts on the event to allow children to experience reading as a satisfying and meaningful activity and to motivate them to continue reading on their own.
Sharing the gift of reading will continue into next week as Athletics Director Darryl Sims participates in Webster Stanley Elementary School’s “Read Your Heart Out” event on Friday, Feb. 14. Sims will be helping to support understanding and building background knowledge around African American history, culture, values, philosophy and experiences.
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