School kicks off Read Across America campaign celebrating Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss was on the loose at Herbert Marcus Elementary on Friday, Feb. 26, to kick off the National Education Association's annual Read Across America Reading Tour. The Dallas school was the first stop on a tour that will travel to six states.

The annual event celebrates the March 2 birthday of the late children's author Theodor Seuss Geisel, best known as Dr. Seuss.

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is co-sponsoring this year's tour, which is the 19th national Read Across America celebration. At Marcus, students were treated to their own red-and-striped hats and goody bags that included copies of The Cat in the Hat. Lily Eskelsen García, NEA president, read Green Eggs and Ham to the students. Other guests included Angela Davis, NEA-Dallas president and a former educator at Marcus; and Noel Candelaria, president of the Texas State Teachers Association. The Cat in the Hat also made a special appearance during the program.

Visitors were on hand to read Dr. Seuss books to individual classes at Marcus, which was decorated to the hilt with Seuss phrases and characters.