“I Hate Winter Day” Caps “Read Across America” Week at St. Joseph’s

This winter hasn’t been the worst in recent history, but that didn’t keep students at St. Joseph’s Indian School from blowing up a blizzard of activity on Friday, March 1, the school’s annual “I Hate Winter Day.” The day capped another annual celebration at the school: “Read Across America Week.”

Storytelling is a treasured Lakota cultural tradition, so the nationally celebrated week is a favorite at the school. Along with other schools throughout the country, days included enjoying the works of Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel. Through rhythm and rhyme, Dr. Seuss’s works coax children to fall in love with reading and storytelling and remember simple passages easily.

Third-graders in Melissa McDonald’s class were enthused about the extra story time. “My favorite part was reading “The Lorax,” said Amira Skunk. “I like the silly Dr. Seuss poems,” added Micah Guerue.

Readings were paired with dress-up days: Monday meant striped hats, ala “Cat in the Hat.” On Tuesday students donned the color green and silly socks. Wednesday was orange-themed, and Thursday was the favorite pajama day. Third-grader Sam Flying Hawk affirmed, “Pajama day was the best because we got to bring a stuffy.”

But the day to pull out all the stops was Friday. Students ran off steam while running circles around 7^th-8^th Grade Residential Coordinator Frank Whipple in an obstacle course in the gym. Meanwhile, a team of judges picked winners in the Beach House/Sandcastle Construction Contest. Claiming a class pizza party for their construction aptitude are first-through-third-grade division: second grade with a stunning sand castle; fourth-through-sixth-grade division: sixth grade with a Jack Sparrow-inspired entry; and seventh-eighth grade division: eighth grade with Bikini Bottom, Population 538.