Toros Baseball “Reads Across” Hopkinson Elementary School
CSUDH’s boys of summer participate annually in NEA’s “Read Across America” event
April 2, 2005

Information on “Read Across America” courtesy NEA Website

The Toros Elmer Rivas (L) and Houston Hernandez read to the kids of Hopkinson Elementary School.

Rivas and Hernandez receive “Certificates of Appreciation” from a Hopkinson student, along with substitute teacher Rebekah Wing, head coach George Wing’s daughter.

Head coach George Wing and daughter Rebekah at the “Read Across America” event at Hopkinson Elementary School.

Los Alamitos, CA -- In achieving one of their most significant wins of the 2005 season, members of the Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team made their annual visit to Hopkinson Elementary School in March to participate in the National Education Association’s “Read Across America” event.

Led by head coach George Wing, a contingent of some 20 Toros clad in Cardinal Red & Gold traveled to the elementary school, where they spent nearly an hour reading to the students and answering questions. Featuring one of Dr. Seuss’ many classics, “Where it’s Hat,” CSUDH student-athletes including Jose Montes (Pacoima, CA/San Fernando HS), Ricky Eda (Palos Verdes, CA/LA Harbor College), Ian Corso (Thousand Oaks, CA/Cal State Stanislaus), Ryan Owen (Torrance, CA/West Torrance HS) and Fred Medina (Santa Ana, CA/Century HS) presented the kids of Hopkinson Elementary with not only their time, but also their commitment to the wonders of reading.

Initially created eight years ago as a one-day event to celebrate reading on Dr. Seuss’ birthday (March 2), NEA’s “Read Across America” is an annual reading motivation and awareness program. It calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on or around Dr. Seuss’ birthday and has grown into a nationwide initiative that promotes reading every day. In May 1997, a small reading task force at NEA formed the idea, and on March 2, 1998, the inaugural “Read Across America” day was born.

At the NEA headquarters in Washington, DC, on March 2, NEA President Reg Weaver and “Read Across America” Co-Captain and New York Giants running back Tiki Barber kicked off the national read-in with a crowd of over 200 schoolchildren, dozens of NEA staff members and DC United soccer MVP Jaime Moreno.

Dr. Seuss, who would have celebrated his 101st birthday on March 2, would have been proud.