Sumter County Primary School celebrated Read Across America Week Feb. 25-March 1. Each day was themed around a Dr. Seuss book. The week culminated with book character day and parade. Students dressed as their favorite book character, and a parade was held at the school for parents and community members. As guests lined the gym, students, and teachers showed off their costumes with waving hands and smiling faces.  Ladies with Books for Sumter Children were also on hand signing children up under the age of five to receive a monthly book in their mailbox at home.  National Education Association’s Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of the children’s author Dr. Seuss. The purpose is to motivate children to read which is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school.  (www.nea.org) Shown are Thing 2 Pre-K Student Morgan Jones, Cat in the Hat Media Specialist Jill Youngdale, and Thing 1 Pre-K Student Taliah Blakely