High-profile storytellers
March 07,2006
DIANE MOUSKOURIE
DAILY NEWS STAFF

Generals, county commissioners, teachers, a state senator and a mayor all took turns reading to children last week week.

It was part of the National Education Association’s Read Across America events held at each of Camp Lejeune Dependents Schools eight campuses.

Jeannette Martinez, president of the Lejeune Education Support Association, coordinated this year’s effort as she has the past three years.

“We started with just one day, but this year we spread it across the week,” Martinez said. “If you keep it flexible you’re able to get more readers. The response has been unbelievable.”

Mira Moehrke, a kindergarten teacher at Tarawa Terrace II Elementary School, said her children were thrilled.

“We love this,” Moehrke said. “We’ve had some great readers. I thought they would come in and read one book and leave, but most of them stayed and read more.”

Reading to children reinforces language and literacy, one of the main reasons for the Read Across America events nationwide.

“The kids are real comfortable with me reading to them three times a day,” Moehrke said. “But when a guest comes in it gives them a different role model.”

During the week the children were read to by active-duty Marines, male and female; school board members; media personalities; and local officials.

“Everyone’s reading style is different,” Moehrke said.

While Martinez read to the students, Moehrke and her assistant, Kathy Canby, made her a daisy hat to complement the book she was reading, “Daisy-Head Mayzie.”

Most of the books being read to children were Dr. Seuss favorites.

Chris Blanco, 5, said he liked Daisy Mayzie best.

“She wears a little flower on top of her head,” he said. “It was funny.”

Ashlynn Harrison, 5, also liked the Daisy Mayzie book best, she said.

“It’s fun and silly for people to read,” she said. “I liked when the other people grew flowers on their heads, but she didn’t like it.”

For Martinez, reading to young children was a change of pace.

“Some people read the words and some people read more animated moving their hands and changing their voices,” she said. “It was a bit hectic scheduling everyone, but I’ve had a lot of positive feedback. The kids have loved it.”

Ellie