The halls of ASU Preparatory Academy Downtown Phoenix were filled with school spirit and a love for reading as the campus celebrated Read Across America. From professional mascots to local government dignitaries, the community came together to show our students that reading is the ultimate superpower!
A Major League Visit from Baxter
The celebration reached a fever pitch when Baxter the Bobcat, the beloved mascot of the Arizona Diamondbacks, made a surprise appearance! In partnership with Avnet, Baxter joined our second-grade classrooms to share some of his favorite stories (note: Cat in the Hat).
It wasn’t just about the reading, though—thanks to the generosity of Avnet, every student walked away with a brand-new book to add to their home library. The morning concluded with high-fives and class photos, leaving our young scholars inspired to keep turning pages.
Community Leaders Lead the Way
In addition to Baxter, ASU Prep Phoenix was honored to host a diverse group of local leaders, business professionals and educators who stepped into our classrooms across all grade levels.
These mentors brought their favorite books and shared personal stories about how literacy has shaped their careers and lives. By engaging in interactive reading activities, our guests helped reinforce a vital message: literacy is the foundation of everything we do!
Why We Celebrate Read Across America
Established by the National Education Association to coincide with Dr. Seuss’s birthday, Read Across America is more than just a day on the calendar. It is a nationwide movement to foster a lifelong love for reading, improve literacy rates, and highlight the critical importance of education in a child’s development.
At ASU Prep, we are committed to building a community of readers. We want to extend a huge “thank you” to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Avnet and all the volunteers who helped make this week so impactful for our students.
