Miss America champions child literacy at Delta Psi

Advocating child literacy, 1997 Miss America Tara Holland spoke to third graders from Bache-Martin Elementary School at the Delta Psi fraternity Thursday for a Literacy Town Hall Meeting. As Miss America, Holland is on a national speaking tour entitled "Literacy in America: The Power of One." Holland, clad in a bright yellow and black suit, told her third-grade audience -- as well as Delta Psi brothers and other members of the University community -- that she travels more than 20,000 miles a month lecturing to audiences about the importance of reading. As she began, Holland told the children, "We are going to do some of the coolest things in the world today." As she read the children the story "The Little Engine That Could," she explained that would ask the questions about reading which she would relay to President Clinton. When one student asked, "Are you President Clinton's wife?" Holland explained that the First Lady's name is Hillary, while hers is Tara. In the famous childhood story, a small blue engine pulls a train filled with toys and dolls over a mountain. The small engine -- the only train willing to help the toys across the mountain -- climbs the hill while saying, "I think I can." When Holland asked the children what the moral of the story was, one child responded, "Always try your best." Holland's presentation shifted gears as she began to ask the children questions about reading. The children's responses will be sent to Clinton during Reading is Fun Week from April 20-26, in Washington, D.C. When Holland asked the children why they like to read, one child responded that "it exercises my brain." And another third grader added, "I can use my imagination and enjoy it." Holland then asked the children how to make reading more fun, to which she got the comment, "You could read a book and maybe act it out." Other students said they felt reading with an adult and acting out books would add to their reading enjoyment. The question about where students like to read most elicited a variety of responses. One student noted, "I like to read in my backyard because I can enjoy nature and read at the same time." Other students said they like to read in quiet places such as their school library and their bedrooms and attics. Holland also asked students what distracts them from reading. Distractions included television sets and noise made by siblings. When she asked who most helped the students learn to read, responses included parents, siblings, cousins, other relatives, teachers and librarians. As a follow-up question, Holland asked if the children want that person to continue to read with them or if they prefer to read on their own. Most students said they enjoy reading with other people but several students said they wish they could read more on their own. One girl explained that she does not like to read with her mother because her mom does not wait for her to sound out words. She said her mother tells her what certain words are before the girl has time to sound out the word for herself.