Lisa Jackson, Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, reads "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss to children at Mt. Vernon Community School in Alexandria, Va.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson joined Secretary Arne Duncan for a bilingual reading event that marked the culmination of ED’s summer literacy initiative, “Read to the Top!”
At the event, held at Mount Vernon Community School in Alexandria, Virginia, Secretary Solis read the Spanish version of “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. Administrator Jackson read “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss. Secretary Duncan read “Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth.
Today’s event was the culmination of two months of weekly summer reading events hosted by ED. The Department held 12 reading events with 15 Cabinet members and senior administration officials. More than 1,200 children from over 30 private, traditional public, and charter schools attended the reading events and received more than 2,000 books donated by Scholastic Inc.
Throughout the summer, ED has partnered with community organizations nationwide to combat summer learning loss in response to President Obama’s national volunteer campaign, “United We Serve,” which challenges all Americans to engage in sustained, meaningful service to meet growing social needs resulting from the economic downturn.
Secretary Duncan and Secretary Solis listen with children as Administrator Jackson reads "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss. |
Administrator Jackson reads to children at Mt. Vernon Community School in Alexandria, Va. |
Secretary Duncan and Secretary Solis listen with children as Administrator Jackson reads "The Lorax". |
Secretary Solis reads the Spanish version of "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein to students of Mt. Vernon Community School in Alexandria, Va. |
Secretary Solis reads the Spanish version of "The Giving Tree". |
Secretary Duncan passes out books to students of Mt. Vernon Community School in Alexandria, Va. |
ED Staff