Lincoln School Celebrates Read Across America Day

Reading is the theme of the day, across America and across all Hasbrouck Heights schools as special guest readers including the mayor and a children's author have come into the elementary schools Wednesday to help spread the word to the children that reading is the key to success.

Read Across America events were held at in the morning and in the afternoon events will be held at

Mayor Rose Heck visited many classrooms at Lincoln School talking to them about how reading is such an essential part of life as it is involved in everything we do. Even something as simple as finding out when the borough picks up recyclying is required reading as one must read the calendar in order to find out, she explained.

"You will have a whole new world open up to you if you open up a book," Mayor Heck told Betty Chiu's fifth grade class.

Principal Lesa Brinker reminded the students that they won't be able to study other topics that may interest them like science or math without reading.

In the school's media center children's author Doug Snelson was surrounded by a group of youngsters who listened closely as he read them the tale "Who's Got the Face?" a rhyming picture book that takes children through the fun and exciting day of a dog named Face.

Snelson interacted with the children asking them what they thought about silly pet names like Moishe and Papaya which made the children giggle and laugh. Some of  the children chimed in and told of their own pets.

Adding to the festivities of the day which celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday, Cindy Capozzi spread his presence throughout the school building as she adorned a Cat in the Hat costume.

Hasbrouck Heights High School students are also expected to visit the elementary schools to read to the youngsters.