By Michelle DeLeon
Staff Writer

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

On July 25, The Osceola County Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the Florida Education Association and First Book Organization all worked together to celebrate reading and provide free books to students in summer reading classes at the KOA Elementary School in Poinciana.

This is the first time that Osceola County celebrated an event focusing on the importance of reading that benefits the students who attended a summer program aimed to improve their reading skills.

Approximately 120 third-grade students from KOA Elementary School, Reedy Creek Elementary School, Chestnut Elementary School, Deerwood Elementary School and Poinciana Academy of Fine Arts and their teachers, administrators and volunteers enjoyed this fun-filled event that also marks the OCEA-First Book Organization partnership.

As part of the program, students could choose to either stay indoors to explore their creativity with artwork or go outdoors to play with Hula-hoops and take part in a game of dodge ball. After all the fun, the students were given lunch before starting a good book reading.

Volunteers divided the kids into groups where readers, including Osceola County School Board candidate Tim Weisheyer, read short stories like “Stray Dog,” “If you Take a Mouse to School,” “Team Work” and “The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash.”

Weisheyer said he saw the event as an opportunity to give back to the community he grew up in.

“I saw the press release yesterday and I was actually the Business Partner of the Year for the KOA Elementary and I volunteered in every school out here,” he said. “I wanted to be here and be a part of it.

“Having the opportunity to read for the kids and share with them the importance of it understanding how to read, how to tell full points of the stories, I thought was a great opportunity and so it’s great to be here, it’s great to be in my community again and read to the kids and support education in Osceola County.”

The students received three exciting books each, Charlotte’s Web, Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and The Bridge to Terabithia.

Adding more excitement to the students after receiving great books, the Osceola County Sheriff Department brought in a 3-½ year old K9 bloodhound named Lulu under the supervision of Deputy Jorge Covas to show the students how K9’s do their work while Deputy Wayne Escudero thought the students how to deal with “Stranger Danger” situation.

At the end, the students expressed their gratitude by showing how much they loved their new books and thanking everyone who made the event possible. One of the Deerwood Elementary student said that he had fun at his summer reading class and he is happy with the books he got especially the “Chocolate Factory.”