GRANTS - Students from Grants High School spent quality time reading to the students of Inez Valdez's second grade class at Mesa View Elementary School on March 2.

Mike Hatfield, GHS computer graphics teacher, encouraged his third period class to participate in Read Across America, an annual event marking the birthday of Dr. Seuss, who was born in 1904.

Read Across America is jointly sponsored by the National Education Association and Random House publishing company and is the nation's largest reading event. It was organized to celebrate Seuss's love for children and the successful use of his rhyming books as effective teaching tools for young readers.

Hatfield's students were paired with the second graders by their hobbies and favorite things. Big cowboys read to little cowboys, athletes read to aspiring athletes and brainiacs were matched to little brainiacs.

“You could see from the minute we walked in,” Hatfield said, “that the younger students weren't too thrilled with the idea of reading, but by the end of class, they didn't want my students to leave.”

The high school has set aside 20 minutes strictly for reading during the third period. Hatfield said that by finding titles of personal interest to each his class members, they have all become better readers. A favorite with students and teachers is the Twilight series. Discussion is encouraged when they read the same titles and the enthusiasm for reading has become contagious.

Adrian Lopez, who was teamed with Catherine Martinez and Adrianna Gonzales, brought his two year-old brother's book, Disney's, “The Rescuers,” to read to the younger group.

“They liked the book,” said Lopez, who reads to his brother at home. Lopez observed that the youngsters kept laughing as the team read to them, he said.

Dominic Sanchez brought the book “Curious George” to share with students. The book held a personal significance for him because his late mother used to read the book to him.

When asked how they liked having the older students read to them, Joseph Guillen gave it two thumbs up. The elementary students all agreed they would like the teens to come back.

“Awesome,” Guillen remarked.

“A lot of the children don't have parents who read to them at home. They play video games, and you can tell,” said the school's reading instructor, Charlotte Cathey.

De. Seuss's books, of course, were a big hit, too. Andrea Apachito liked, ”Mr. Brown Can Moo,” and Zaria Whitmore was read the classic, “The Cat in the Hat.”

Other favorite topics were “Stock Cars,” read to Samuel Olguin and “Curious George,” enjoyed by Nathan Montano and Michael Valencia.

Parents can continue to encourage successful reading habits. Two websites that share resources for books, reading methods, bookmarks, games and other ideas are www.nea.org/readacross and www.readingrockets.org/calendar/readacross.