The students at Sherman Avenue Elementary received a special visitor Wednesday morning.

Miss Mississippi Anne Elizabeth Buys visited Sherman and read to second graders as part of National Reading Month. Buys is visiting two elementary schools a day throughout this week and reading to students as part of an initiative called Fueling Education sponsored by Citgo Fueling Company.

“It has been really encouraging because the students are so interactive,” Buys said. “They are so attentive. They have questions about the books and you know they are engaged and listening. That is what we want to do, to ignite their imagination and instill the love of reading to them.”

Buys read, “Oh the places you’ll go” by Dr. Seuss and “Giraffes Don’t Dance” by Giles Andreae to the students.

“I felt very good,” second grader Armanni Smith said. “My favorite part was when the giraffe learned to just feel himself to dance.”

After reading each book, Buys talked to the students about the message the book discusses. Each student was then given a bag and will be given books courtesy of Citgo.

Buys was asked to read because as Miss Mississippi she is one of the state winners chosen to serve as a National Citgo Ambassador during her year long reign.

“You have to learn to read to read to learn,” Buys said. “If you can’t learn to read something you love and really enjoy, then you won’t have the love for it as you continue to get older. We are implanting and establishing a love of reading in these children.”

Buys is reading to students in kindergarten through second grade this week. She visited Dana Road and South Park Monday, Bowmar and Beechwood Tuesday and Sherman and Bovina Wednesday.

Thursday she will visit Warrenton and Clinton elementary schools and Friday she will read to kids at McLaurin Elementary School in Florence and Blair Batson’s Children’s Hospital.

“I think it motivates them,” Sherman Avenue principal Tameka Davis said. “I think it encourages them to see people other than their teachers take an interest in them. I believe education takes everybody in the community — parents, teachers, all hands on deck. For her to make time in her schedule to come and pour knowledge into these children speaks volumes.”