Springfield fire, police read to Clark County preschoolers

Brooke Spurlock, Springfield News-Sun, Ohio
·2 min read

Mar. 6—Members of the Springfield Fire Rescue Division and Springfield Police Division spent an afternoon reading to Clark County preschoolers.

As part of Read Across America Week, the event took place Tuesday at the Clark Early Learning Center in the Springfield City School District to celebrate reading and "help provide positive male role models for the kids."

"(They) have us come and read (to the kids) so they get familiarization with positive male role models, as well as those of us that are in the public safety services (to show) we're good guys and they can trust us," said assistant fire chief Matthew Smith.

Smith said there were at least 15 current and retired firefighters and several officers who attended the event to read to the preschoolers. After the event, the students asked questions about the jobs of the firefighters and police officers.

"It's one of those things we try to help out with children. Giving them that role model is important. That's one of the things kids start to emulate; if they don't have that in their lives, that's when things start to go bad," Smith said.

The center put students into small groups of five to six students per volunteer reader, and there were three to four in each classroom. They also provided the books.

Across the district, several other buildings also found creative ways to celebrate, including literacy-themed spirit weeks, according to a release from the district. For example as part of its spirit week, Snyder Park Elementary had a 'Read My Shirt' themed day that encouraged students and staff to wear a shirt that others could read.

Read Across America, which launched in 1998 by the National Education Association (NEA), is the nation's largest celebration of reading that "focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone," according to the NEA.

The annual Read Across America Week begins on March 2, which is the birthday of childhood author Dr. Suess.