Verona Police Officers Share the Magic of Dr. Seuss with Laning Avenue Students

Every year on March 2, on the birthday of legendary children's author Ted "Dr. Seuss" Geisel, communities from coast to coast spread the joys of reading to children by reading some of his works aloud. The event is known as Read Across America, and was celebrated in typical Laning Avenue Elementary style Wednesday.

"Dr. Seuss is the first author many children actually read, so I think that stays with them. I have a five-year-old at home and we read a lot of Dr. Seuss there," Frank Albano, principal of Laning Avenue School said in an interview.

To join in the celebration, Albano commissioned the help of the Verona Police Department, who sent officers to the school to whisk them away to the world of Star Bellied Sneetches and The Lorax.

Verona Police Sgt. Dan Greco, who read Seuss works including "Green Eggs & Ham," "The Lorax," and "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish," to Laning second Graders and kindergarteners, said the children were eager to hear him read Seuss's colorful tales, once their excitement over his uniform died down.

"They were really attentive, really good. For the second Graders I was only scheduled to read one book, we had some extra time and I asked if they wanted me to read a second book, they said yes so I stayed," Greco said.

"The kindergarteners wanted to know all about what I was wearing since I was in my uniform, but once that calmed down it was really good."

Greco said he and the rest of the officers, including Ptl. Joel Martin and Ptl. Anthony O'Connor, were proud to be part of Read Across America Day.

In addition to an opportunity for the children to get to know police officers in their community, fourth Graders also got to meet their future principal, H.B. Whitehorne Middle School Principal Yvette McNeal, who also joined in the fun, reading to students and giving them a sneak peak at what life in middle school will be like.

"I think it's a great stepping stone for the teachers and administration to put forth to get the kids involved in reading," Greco said.

"It's great the police department had a hand in it."