The Sul Ross State University Department of Education will participate in the National Read Aloud celebration on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at the Espino Conference Center on the second floor of the Morgan University Center.

Local families with pre-kindergarten through fourth grade students are invited to participate and will be asked to register for the event through their school. The featured book for the event is My Name is Cool by Antonio Sacre.

Pizza will be served beginning at 5:30 p.m., and Sacre will begin the program by reading from his book. Then, honored readers including Mayor Catherine Eaves, SRSU First Lady Lupita Hernandez, Dr. Shanna Moody, faculty, students and athletes will read a variety of stories in smaller reading groups.

Each participating student will be given a copy of Sacre’s book and can join drawings for additional books.

National Read Aloud was created by LitWorld in 2010 and is organized annually in 173 countries.

The event is underwritten by a $5,000 grant from Humanities Texas and by a $1,000 donation from West Texas National Bank in Alpine. Sponsors include Front Street Books, Kappa Delta Pi, the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Older siblings are welcome. For more information, email Dr. Jeanne Qvarnstrom at jqvarnstrom@sulross.edu.

Photo: Antonio Sacre.