Patch Give 5: Preparing to Read

March 2 is circled on my Patch calendar, as I'm scheduled to read to Ms. Tina Watson's kindergarten class at .

The school will be celebrating the National Education Association's Read Across America initiative that week. March 2 is also Dr. Seuss' birthday. Oh, the places we'll go that day...

I can't wait to share the joy of reading with the kindergarten students. Ms. Watson is selecting the literature for the afternoon, so my job is simply to show up and narrate.

With every page turn, I'm eager to see the eyes of the boys and girls light up as their imaginations take them to the faraway land of the story.

As I spend the afternoon with the Hermosa View students, I'll be completing a day of service under the Patch program Give 5.

The initiative encourages Patch editors across the country to volunteer on five paid work days throughout the year in their respective communities.

By volunteering at Hermosa View for Read Across America, what I hope to give back to the children of the community is a passion for the thrill of literature.

I hope to open their minds to the ways in which words can be used to stir joy and enchantment. In the words of Dr. Seuss: "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

Keep an eye out for my special report from Ms. Watson's class here on Patch on March 2.