Students ride train to Talkeetna for ‘Read Across America’ celebration

Machetanz Elementary School celebrated Read Across America last week. Each day had a special theme, such as “Hats off to Reading,” “Dive into a Good Book,” “Who Hair Day,” “Reading is Groovy” and “Get into the Spirit of Reading.” Molly Walker and Robin Ouellette's first-graders extended the celebration to Read Across Alaska by taking a field trip on the Alaska Railroad to Talkeetna. Students read books, wrote stories about their adventure and experienced Alaska's wildlife along the tracks.

The train's tour guide even got into the spirit by reading Dr. Seuss' ‘Thidwick the Big Hearted Moose’ over the intercom. In Talkeetna, the first-graders were welcomed at Talkeetna Elementary School where they ate lunch and stretched their legs before the return trip home.