Kindergartners, left to right, Cody Sewell, Skyler Pickett, Dusty Williams, Aiden Manly and Koya Manly pose with their books. Back row are, Carol Blake (aide) and LeAnn Uhling (kindergarten teacher).
Kindergartner Teagen Brumgardt, left, poses with a book about Clifford the Dog.
Kindergartner Hunter Johnston, dressed as a cowboy, holds his book "C is for Cowboy.
Annette Mason poses with her first grade class. The entire class dressed up for International Literacy Day. Front row, left to right, Evelyn Fletcher, Mia Burks, Natalie Fullom, Ace Arnold. Back row, Trystalyn Schmidt, Rosemary Hernandez-Malpica, Conrad Konecny, Maggie Elder and David Hibdon.
The fifth grade class did not dress up as much as their teacher Luke Spiering. Left to right, back row, are Heston Fisher, Cale Mowry, Calvin Condict, Mackenzie Shiels, Anna Bartholomew, Kayla Smith, Whitney Bennett and Olivia Everett. In the front row are Slayd Daley, Frank Crimmins and Mya Bower.
Amanda Ruland's third grade are, left to right, Sophia Powell, Marilee Williams, Kaileb Lane, Katie Fiedor, Emily Gonzalez and Alivia Waldner. In the front row are Ayden LeCureux and Fischer Williams.
SES Principal Dave Rangitsch is ready for International Literacy Day with his book. He has dressed like Miss Bindergarten.
On Sept. 9, Saratoga Elementary School (SES) students dressed up to celebrate International Literacy Day with a book/swap drive. The students were encouraged to dress up in their very favorite book character.
The event is part of an annual effort to raise awareness of the importance of improving child and adult literacy rates around the world, a press release provided by the school said.
"When SES principal Dave Rangitsch brought the idea to celebrate International Literacy Day to the Library, we jumped right on board," SES Library Aide Addie Fletcher said. "We thought it would be fun to encourage the students and staff to share the books they are passionate about by dressing up as one of their favorite book characters. I am amazed by the participation!"
Fletcher, who dressed as Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games, said walking around the school was like taking a virtual tour of literary characters.
SES has partnered with the World Literacy Foundation (WLF), a global charity working to lift children and youth out of poverty through cost-effective literacy and educational programs.
Students at SES brought in more than 200 of their own books to donate to the book swap/fund drive. During the week, the book swap was housed in the school library where kids could leave and take books, even if they did not have any to bring in.
"The idea is to encourage reading for everyone," Fletcher said. It also helps children to realize how lucky they are to be surrounded by books, Fletcher added.
Books leftover from the book swap/drive and any monetary donations will be sent to WLF, according to Fletcher.
The funds raised will be used to support "Fun of Phonics," a literacy program lead by an Australian teacher based in Uganda. The "Fun of Phonics" is a growing phonetics initiative that addresses learning obstacles associated with large classroom sizes and minimal teacher training.
"Literacy is very important for everyone," Rangistch said. He wore a floral dress over his clothing for the day. His costume also included a pair of floppy felt dog ears. Rangistch was representing Miss Bindergarten from the book "Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten." "I love to see the smiles on the kindergartners' faces when they realize I am dressed as the character of the book I gave them when I visited them before school started," Rangistch said.
"Reading is a life skill we all love and encourage at SES," Rangistch said.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, (UNESCO), established Sept. 8 as International Literacy Day in an an effort to Raise attention and awreness of the importance of literacy in our daily lives.
SES celebrated International Literacy Day on Sept. 9 to give the students and parents time to prepare after coming back from Labor Day weekend.
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