Last year, the young scholars from Hybla Valley Elementary School visited the office of Congressman James P. Moran (D-8). A couple of weeks ago, they visited the White House. Last week, the young scholars were able to meet with Moran again without leaving their school. The group of young scholars, along with Hybla Valley second graders, visited with Moran when he came to their school this week as a celebrity reader.
A brainchild of gifted and talented teacher Debbi Riley, she said that this was the first, but that they hope to ask a different celebrity reader to come once a month.
"We're trying to promote government and citizen issues," she said. "We plan to get other celebrity readers here."
Moran was escorted to the auditorium by Principal James Dallas, Debbi Riley and Dr. Calanthia Tucker, Cluster IV director. When he arrived, the children were excited and well prepared. They had already thought of several questions, many of which were on posters hung in the entrance hallway.
Before they asked their questions, Riley asked them one? "Do you know who this man is?"
"Congressman Moran," they all yelled.
"Where did you grow up?" a student asked.
"Massachusetts," Moran replied.
Birthday?
"May 16, 1945."
Favorite song?
"Elvis Presley's 'Love Me Tender.'"
Favorite color?
"Blue."
How many children do you have?
"Four."
MORAN ASKED IF he could sit down and then looked at the four books that were laid out for him. He asked the students to vote for their favorite, and "Frog and Toad are Friends," by Arnold Lobel got the loudest affirmation.
Before Moran started reading, he asked the students the difference between frogs and toads. They came up with several differences: toad is brown, frog is green; one hops, one jumps; they have different feet; and different skin.
And with that, Moran started reading. Speaking with an animated voice, he made the story come alive; adlibbing here and there. One time he called frog a "party-pooper" and then he made loud bear noises into the microphone when talking about animals that hibernate.