Retirees from the Sewanhaka Federation of Teachers in western Nassau County recently honored a beloved colleague in the best way possible for someone who spent his life working with children — they spent two days reading to students at two public schools as part of the National Education Association's "Read Across America" program.

Read Across America is marked annually around the March 2 birthdate of the late children's author Theodore Geisel (pen name, Dr. Seuss), and seeks to encourage children and adults to make a habit of daily reading.

The Sewanhaka retirees dedicated this year's reading to David Kreutz, a retired principal of the Elmont Memorial and Sewanhaka high schools in the district, who died in November. Kreutz often led the Read Across America celebration in the district.

Ten Sewanhaka retirees participated in the reading celebration Feb. 29 and March 7. Readers appeared at the Polk Street Elementary School and the H. Frank Carey High School and read selections from Dr. Seuss books at both locations. Geisel died in 1991 at age 87.