The National Education Association partnered with the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation and the Verizon Foundation on March 3 to launch "Read Across America" week of reading in the Nation's Capital.

To honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 3, the event featured group readings led by former Redskin Ken Harvey and Redskins defensive tackle Anthony Montgomery, Seussical songs, and the one and only "Cat in the Hat."

Children from Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland schools attended the event, held at the NEA Auditorium in the district.

NEA's Read Across America is the nation's largest reading celebration that delivers the message: children who read--and are ready to--do better in school and in life.

Sponsored by the National Education Association, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. and more than 50 national partners, NEA's Read Across America is designed to get kids excited about reading. Nationwide, more than 45 million children and adults are expected to participate this year.

Redskins Read, a signature program of the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation, promotes literacy and encourages children in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to visit local public and school libraries.

The Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation, with the support of the Verizon Foundation, produces and distributes 170,000 Redskins Read activity books free of charge throughout the region to elementary schools, public libraries, literacy centers, and nonprofit organizations.

In addition, the Redskins Read program provides grants for schools to purchase library books and sends out Redskins players to read to youth during the year.