Moses Lake High School students lend a hand on Dr. Seuss Day

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake High School student and FFA chapter member Parker Visker said Dr. Seuss Day was a sign of how things had changed since he was young.

“I never had Dr. Seuss Day when I was a kid,” Parker said. Parker was one of 21 FFA members who spent part of Wednesday reading to, playing games with and doing crafts with students at Knolls Vista Elementary in Moses Lake.

Dr. Seuss Day is designed to promote literacy through special activities like reading aloud and doing crafts.

“Do something fun,” said Knolls Vista teacher Veronica Kern, who was in charge of the school celebration. It’s part of a multi-day event, which included dress-up days and other special events. Wednesday was Crazy Sock Day, and Kern made sure she had appropriate socks.

The FFA got involved through Kern’s husband Tony, who’s one of the MLHS chapter advisers. The FFA members supervised the craft projects and the playground games.

“It’s — it’s fun,” said Ryan Cardenas, who was helping children with their coloring pages. He said he wasn’t sure the kids (who were in the primary grades) would listen to instructions from teenagers, but they did, and they were nice, too.

Laura Wagner had a little more trouble getting some of the kids to listen to her directions. “I really like the kindergartners, because they listen a lot better than the second-graders,” she said. “The second-graders have a mind of their own sometimes.”

Keliann Stephens ran the reading corner with a firm hand. “OK, you guys, come and sit on the carpet over here,” she said, leading the kids toward the reading corner.

Parker, Devan Ramirez and Emeri Mackey were among the FFA students running the games on the playground.

“Honestly, it’s really just a lot of patience,” Devan said. Devan and Parker supervised the bean bag game, and Devan stopped to help one of the kids tie her shoe. And Devan doesn’t even have any little brothers or sisters. “I’m the youngest but the biggest,” he said.

“We have to make sure they walk out of here with a smile on their face,” Devan said.

All Knolls Vista classes were invited to compete in a door decorating contest with the FFA students doing the judging.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.