HAWAI'I KAI — The second-graders' eyes widened as 6-foot-3 defensive lineman Rocky Savaiigaea strode into the classroom yesterday in his football jersey carrying a copy of Dr. Seuss' "The Cat in the Hat."

Savaiigaea and five University of Hawai'i Warrior teammates helped Kamiloiki Elementary School participate in the National Education Association's Read Across America program, a reading initiative that encourages kids to read around Dr. Seuss' birth date, March 2.

This is the first year Kamiloiki has participated in the national program, said PTSA President Beverly Ray. The goal is to encourage reading as a fun activity, not a chore, she said.

Ray had donned a cat nose and whiskers and a red, black and white "Cat in the Hat" suit for the occasion, complete with a tall, striped hat and a big red bow tie.

"Through his books, (Dr. Seuss) actually related to the children and they learned from him because of the rhymes," she said.

"If you teach a child that reading is fun and that you learn things about the book that you're reading, hopefully they'll take that into adulthood."

Schools can determine when and how they want to participate in the program. Although some schools like Kamiloiki chose to celebrate the week of Seuss' birthday, students from Solomon Elementary School and 'Aiea High School, representatives from the Hawai'i State Teachers Association, and city officials celebrated Seuss' actual birth date at Honolulu Hale on Sunday — National Read Across America Day.

Waikiki Elementary School's celebration on Monday has a "Going Green" theme.

Yesterday, Savaiigaea read "The Cat in the Hat" to Kamiloiki's second-graders, who sat on the classroom floor at his feet, listening eagerly.

The football players also treated the students to a game at recess.

"I wasn't too sure of the reaction I was going to get ... when we started to read," Savaiigaea said, after. "But you know, to see the smiles on their faces and to see them laughing and really getting into a story like it's a TV show itself, it was well worth it."

Theodor "Ted" Seuss Geisel was born March 2, 1904, in Springfield, Mass. He wrote and illustrated more than 40 children's books under the pen name "Dr. Seuss," many of which became staples for children, parents and educators.

Nearly two decades after his death in 1991, Seuss still has plenty of fans.

"I like (the books) because they have a lot of rhyming words and they're funny," said Kamiloiki second-grader Kawehinani Cash.

She wasn't the only one.

The Warriors' Guyton Galdeira read "The Cat in the Hat" to preschoolers and third-graders yesterday, and his personal childhood favorite: "Green Eggs and Ham."

"The message we were trying to send today is that reading is very important, no matter what you want to be, whether it's a football player, a teacher or a doctor," he said.

He added: " 'Green Eggs and Ham,' that one's a classic. Yeah, I was a fan."

Reach Kim Fassler at fassler@honoluluadvertiser.com.