Students had their noses in plenty of books here and across the nation last week as part of "Read Across America."
The week promoted literacy and celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday.
And in a day when there are plenty of video games and computer programs, promoting books is important.
"We have a challenge to make sure kids are reading," West Fargo South Elementary School Principal Loren Kersting said. "It concerns us."
So to show the West Fargo elementary students that reading can be fun, the school aimed to do fun activities all week to promote reading. Students ate green eggs in honor of Dr. Seuss and read with buddies in the hallways as book covers decked out classroom doors.
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"Reading doesn't have to be a chore," Kersting said about celebrating "Read Across America" every year. "We try to hold on to it because it's so important for them."
The West Fargo Education Association and Fargo Education Association were also involved, joining to distribute almost 100 donated books to area hospitals for every baby born March 2 through March 8.
"We wanted our organizations to donate their first book and encourage their parents to read to them," FEA President Ellen Dunn said. "It's at the core of what we do as an education organization."
LP-A does well
The Lake-Park Audubon, Minn., chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, a national service learning organization, is sending an outsized delegation to the group's state competition in April.
At a regional contest last month, 54 LP-A students competed with presentations on subjects as diverse as homelessness, date rape, childhood obesity and cultural diversity. All 54 advanced to the state event scheduled April 23-25 in Bloomington.
"This is unheard of," said English teacher Laureen Svobodny. "Not only is it unusual that a school our size has such a large chapter but that so many kids advanced to the state competition."
The chapter has more than doubled in size since Svobodny's son, Dylan, now a senior, joined as a seventh-grader. Last year, 13 students traveled to the national finals in Orlando, and students have rocked nationals in San Diego, Nashville and Chicago in recent years.
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Svobodny credits such success stories and the chapter's dedicated adviser, Cheryl Hogie, with the growth.
High school awards
Fargo North High School senior Casey Peuser was named a candidate in the Presidential Scholars Program. More than 3,000 candidates were selected from 2.8 million students nationwide - all competing to be among the 500 semifinalists chosen this spring.
Another high school student, Fargo South High School sophomore Jennifer Storm, recently received her own recognition - being selected to represent her school this summer at the 2009 National Student Leadership Conference.
Readers can reach Forum reporters Kelly Smith at (701) 241-5515 and Mila Koumpilova at (701) 241-5524
