Adorned in “Cat in the Hat” homemade hats, first and second graders anxiously await reading time in their classrooms. The children flood to the high school students the moment they walk through the door, and although the older faces are complete strangers, the kids run to grab the hand of their newfound friends.

Mr. Tanner Hargrove’s English IV dual credit classes read to Lakeview Elementary first and second grade students during a Dr. Seuss day celebration March 12. Each of Hargrove’s students purchased one Dr. Seuss book to give to the first grader to whom they read.

“When I first found out we were going, I was excited but nervous as well,” senior Tell Stockstill said. “I was worried because I don’t have very good reading skills”

However, Stockstill said it didn’t take long for him and the students to become comfortable with one another.

“At first it was a little awkward,” Stockstill said. “But then as you stumbled through all of Dr. Seuss’s tongue twisters, they would laugh, and it really broke the ice.”

Senior Kaleb Rice said the students he read to also brought up simple things that made him connect with them.

“When we were done reading, the kid I read to pointed out my

The Dr. Seuss celebration was arranged by faculty and librarian Cindy Rhoten, who said the children really looked forward to the high school students reading to them.

“The best part is watching the children interact with the students,” Rhoten said. “It’s crazy how much they pay attention. The kids will talk about it for days. They identify with the older students. Whoever they are partnered with, they immediately become friends with.”