The children’s author’s birthday coincides with Read Across America Week and WAEC Librarian Laura Demers has held various events with all of her classes this week.

On Thursday, 13 members of the Student Council at Warren Area High School went up the hill to WAEC to spend some time in the library with students in kindergarten and first grade.

There, the students — younger and older — played musical books (much like musical chairs, but without eliminations and with different books on every chair), shared reading time, colored, and generally had fun.

Madalynn Perry has been part of the student council visit for all four of her years in high school. “I’m happy to take time out of my day because I know it brings them so much cheer,” she said.

Times Observer photos by Brian Ferry Warren Area High School Student Council Representative Tori McMichael reads to Warren Area Elementary Center kindergartners Natalie Franklin, Brionna Foote, and Beatrice Miller Thursday at the WAEC library in celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday.

“It’s fun to come up here and see how much WAEC has changed,” McMichael said. “It’s nostalgic.”

She recalls days when high school students would visit her classes. “It’s those things that make your memories of school so exciting.”

In a few years, students who participated in Dr. Seuss’s birthday events as elementary schoolers could return as high schoolers.

Demers said she has held the Seuss celebrations for five years.

Not all of those looked like Thursday’s. The inaugural event was in 2019. The 2020 event was just a few days before COVID caused the shutdown of schools.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Warren Area Elementary Center kindergartners Hayden Snodgrass (right) and Sam Bratz color with Warren Area High School Student Council Representative Madalynn Perry Thursday at the WAEC library in celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday.

Since then, there has been a different feel to the events.

Students from the district’s STEM center made a video to celebrate in 2021.

“Last year, they came with masks,” Demers said.

Video or masks or ‘normal’ the students enjoy the event.

“When I was little, it was always fun when I got to hang out with older kids,” Loralei Johnson said. “I think it’s fun for them.”