CSCC’S ECED Program Celebrates 17 Years of Dr. Seuss in Drive-Thru Style

Holly Vincent
Friday, February 12, 2021 12:00 AM
Students, Community

The 17^th Annual Dr. Seuss Birthday Celebration at Cleveland State Community College will look a little different this year. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event is taking place in a “drive-thru” style format on the CSCC campus on Saturday, Feb. 27 from 9-11 a.m.  Sponsored by Kiwanis of Cleveland, United Way of the Ocoee Region and the Maylyn and Carson Thacker Memorial Fund, the celebration is organized by students in the Early Childhood Education language and literacy class.

As with previous events, several famous characters like the Cat in the Hat, Thing One and Thing Two, and the Grinch hope to join the fun on this day. Both children and adults are familiar with the uncontrollable and entertaining Cat from Dr. Seuss’s book, The Cat in the Hat. The Cat is accompanied by the twin mischief-makers, Thing One and Thing Two, and together they bounce from one catastrophic fun-making adventure to another. The Grinch, the title character from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, is a cynical cave-dweller who has a sudden change of heart when he realizes the real meaning of Christmas.

“I've enjoyed the Dr. Seuss event with my kids since they were in pre-school,” stated Ryan Thompson, Dean of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences. “Last year they helped run the building block activity for other children. This year, I'm excited to help provide books to children in our community that will help them learn the alphabet, their colors, and how to count. And we have some books full of fun tongue-twisters to challenge older readers. Most of all, I'm happy to be part of a great event that celebrates and encourages learning with the people of our community.”

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss is free to children of all ages. Each child will receive a goody bag that includes a hardback Dr. Seuss book, as well as other literacy-related games and activities.

“I loved the Early Childhood Education program (ECED) at Cleveland State, and I enjoyed being a part of the Dr. Suess event when I was a student at Cleveland State,” stated Angie Hawn, former Early Childhood Education student. “The students of the ECED program dedicate an entire semester to Dr. Suess day. Mrs. (Suzanne) Wood and Ms. (Margaret) Horten dedicate a lot of their time, as well. They spearhead the entire event to make sure everything is perfect. It is such a great event for the Cleveland community and the surrounding areas. I always felt like that was a kick start to getting a child interested in reading or continuing to keep a child engaged in reading.”

According to Thompson, the Kiwanis Club of Cleveland has generously given money to purchase books for the event, and members of the Kiwanis club will be there to give a free hardback Dr. Seuss book to every child that attends.

The Early Childhood Education Program at Cleveland State began in 1999 out of an initiative from the Tennessee Board of Regents requiring that all community colleges in the state have an early childhood program. Students may receive a Child Development Associate (CDA) designation by completing a four-course option and related credentialing procedures, a 24-credit hour Early Childhood Education Technical Certificate, or may pursue an Associate of Applied Science degree by completing the two-year, 60-credit-hour program. Starting this fall, the college will also be offering a two-year Associate of Science degree which will also transfer to four-year programs. The Early Childhood Education program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Cleveland State also has transfer agreements with many area colleges that allow students to transfer and complete their degree to teach pre-K through third grade.

For more information about the Drive-Thru Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss event or the Early Childhood Education Program, contact Suzanne Wood, program coordinator, at 472-7141, Ext. 282. or email swood@clevelandstatecc.edu.