Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

LAPLACE — St. John Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre participated in the St. John Early Childhood Education Department’s Read Across America Virtual Program held Tuesday morning in observance of the birthday of Dr. Seuss.

Due to COVID-19, the Early Childhood Education Department decided to present a virtual reading program this year. Through a Zoom meeting, Sheriff Tregre was able to read to 19 different Head Start and pre-kindergarten classes at LaPlace Elementary, Lake Pontchartrain, Garyville Magnet, Emily C. Watkins and West St. John Elementary.

Sheriff Tregre read “Delilah’s Delightful Dream,” a story about cooperation and teamwork. For 18 years, Sheriff Tregre has been a guest reader for Read Across America events at local schools, and he has always stressed to students that the more they read, the smarter they will become.

Participating in Read Across America always makes for a great day at work, Sheriff Tregre said.

St. John Parish President Jaclyn Hotard, Fire Chief Cain Dufrene and retired Early Childhood Director Jackie Forest also took the time to read to children virtually in honor of Read Across America Day on March 2.

Between story times, Early Childhood students wore celebratory red-striped hats and enjoyed green eggs and ham, birthday cupcakes for Dr. Seuss and made patterned name crafts.

The celebration extended to Dr. Seuss story time and wacky crafts at the St. John the Baptist Parish Library, as well as other school districts across the tri-parish area.