HILLCUB PROGRAM

First Lady, Peggy Rice, reading to 2nd graders at Claremont Elementary

RSU Reading Day

RSU Faculty, Staff and Students will read to a classroom or group of kids.

When: 1st and last Thursday of every month.

How to sign up: Email Marisa Littlefield at mlittlefield@rsu.edu and state the date and time you would like to volunteer for.

Volunteers

Tabitha Crouch, RSU Student
The staff, teachers, and students were all so welcoming and polite. The students were excited to have a visitor and I was happy to be a part of their excitement. I would definitely go back again to visit and volunteer.

Amanda Faught, RSU Office of Development Database Manager
After reading to the 2nd graders in Ms. Clarks class today, one of the students mentioned that he had been visited by a lunch buddy and liked talking to the visitor. Another child raised their hand and asked “why did RSU adopt us?” and I told them we wanted to encourage them, and help them to know that we are dedicated to preparing them go to college and achieve theirs dreams. The storyline of the book I read to them encouraged them that they can accomplish anything if they will use their imagination and the resources available to them, and I believe the Hillcub program is providing those much needed resources!

Catherine Heimdale, RSU public Television
I had a lot of fun reading to a group of very enthusiastic 3rd graders at Claremont Elementary. The kids were attentive and really into the story, which made the experience all the more enjoyable as they laughed, giggled and gasped all through the story. I loved every minute!

Amos Marrero, RSU Student
When I read to the first grade boy he was very attentive, then he read the same book back to me, and I was able to help him sound-out the words and actually teach him how to read.  Watching the look on his face, the sense of accomplishment, was amazing!  I feel like I benefited tremendously from helping this little boy to read a single book.  You cannot put into words the great feeling that I felt from this experience.

Reneen White, Administrative Assistant, Health Sciences
I had such a great time reading to the kindergarten class at Claremont. They were thrilled to have someone come into their classroom and read them a story.  Being able to have this opportunity thoroughly made my day!  I read One Fish Two Fish by Dr. Seuss. The children interacted with the story and asked a lot of questions pertaining to the story. 

Katie Gray, RSU Student
I truly enjoyed sharing the joy of reading with the first graders and kindergarteners at Claremont Elementary. They were a wonderful audience! I am glad I got to share in Read Across America Week with them.

Derek Larkin, Head Men's and Women's Soccer Coach
I really enjoyed reading to the kids at Claremont. Having the opportunity to give back to the kids, means me a lot to me and our University. The kids at Claremont were awesome! They are going to make great Hillcats someday!!!!!!

Darin Hassell, Financial Aid Counselor
Frankly, I could read to Claremont second graders for a living.  We were SO BUSY looking for all of the wacky things happening between the student, his teacher, his class, his school, AND Patrolman McGann that we lost the track of time, forgot lunch, and starved to death.  No, we didn’t; we just lost track of time.  Everyone in second grade were so visually attuned to the one wacky thing, two wacky things, four wacky things, etc., etc., etc., and did such a great job finding what those wacky things were (shoes on the wall, wearing socks in the shower, trees growing out of baby strollers, roads going straight up in the air, floating windows and doors, etc.) that by the time we got to the page with 20 wacky things to find, they found 65.  Dr. Seuss had no idea these guys were THAT good.  Then again, they believed me when I told them “Wacky Wednesday” was my biography…  Sigh…

Kelly Hicks, Assistant Director of Financial Aid
I walked into the 1st grade classroom at Claremont prepared to read to the students. The teacher handed me The Cat in the Hat.  The students helped me get seated and I opened the book. To my surprise, the students started reading to me! Since most couldn’t actually see the words, I believe they had a good part of the book memorized. So while I didn’t actually read TO them, I thoroughly enjoyed reading WITH them. They were a great group of students and I hope to read with them again!

Jimmy Hart, Public Relations
“Reading to the kindergarteners during the Dr. Seuss birthday celebration was a special treat. It was great to see how excited the kids were to hear a book read they were all familiar with.”

Wilson Sprinkles, RSU Student
I had such a wonderful time reading to the students at Claremont Elementary School.  I loved seeing the joy on the kid's faces while I got to read, which is one of my favorite things to do!  It was a great time and I had a blast!

Hope Chitwood, RSU Student
"The kids were fantastic! I was excited to see how engaged they were in the book! They were pointing and responding as if they were a part of Dr. Suess' story. The best part was getting hug after hug on my way out the door. It's incredible how first graders can make you feel so appreciated. I can't wait to go back!"

Ben Rincker, RSU Student
My experience participating in Reading Across America was an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. I read You'll Do Great Things by Dr. Seuss to two third grade classes. While waiting for the second class to join us, I asked the third-graders how their weekend was and received a variety of answers. One young girl proudly shared that she watched Justin Beiber's movie which drew a mixed reaction from her classmates. One young boy enthusiasticly recalled his dirt biking escapades from the weekend. When the second class joined us, I introduced myself and showed the book that I chose to read. Towards the end of the book Dr. Suess says that you can move mountains. One boy in the class raised his hand and inquisitively asked how a kid can move a mountain. Before I could respond a little girl said you can use your imagination to move a mountain. A boy on the front row exclaimed that if you try real hard you can move a mountain. The responses from these young children inspire me not only to try hard when moving a mountain, but also tap into my imagination.

Kyla Short, Director of Residential Life
Today, I read about the Presidents of the United States to a 2nd grade class. It was so encouraging that they all said that they wanted to be President one day. One little girl went further in saying that she will be President. I was impressed that they all had bright ideas of what the future would hold.

Dr. Myra, Haulmark, Director, Center for Teaching and Learning
This was my second time to read to a class and I enjoyed it just as much. This time was to a group of third graders who were some of the most insightful kids I have ever been around! We read a book that had several complex themes and these kids offered such great commentary on all of them. Very impressive bunch!!

Taylar Odle, Prospective Student Services Representative
I loved reading to the Kindergarten class at Claremont! The teacher introduced me as “the lady from the college,” one student asked “what’s a college?” The teacher smiled and said “a school bigger than high school” his immediate response was “WOW!” I hadn’t even began reading, and the kids had already made my day!

Joy Lin Husted, Assistant Director of Admissions
The kids in my 4th grade class were so fun and surprisingly profound.  At one point in the book, a student raised his hand and said, “One page can change everything.”  As a lover of books, I found this to be a great way to spend a few minutes of my day, and I plan to become a regular at RSU Reading Days!

First Lady Peggy Rice
The children were wonderful! Four second graders were waiting in the Principal’s office to take me to the library. They introduced themselves to me and shook my hand. The children were so excited and loved the books the teachers had chosen. They were very attentive and we had a wonderful time. They presented me with beautiful flowers and each wrote me a card. One student asked if I was going to read all the notes and I responded by telling them I certainly would read every note and save them in a book to always remember my first day with them. They are very special and I feel blessed to have spent time with them. It was a beautiful experience.

Sara Shepard, SGA Senator
Reading to Mrs. Massey's 3rd grade class was a wonderful experience! The children had a lot of fun and it was great to be able to be involved in their class, I look forward to volunteering again!