One
of the most rewarding and fun parts of First Lady Dianne Bentley’s role is reading
to the children of Alabama throughout the
state. Childhood literacy is an issue on
Mrs. Bentley’s platform, because
she believes in the importance of encouraging students to read and expand their minds in the midst of today’s technological distractions.
On
Sept. 18, Mrs. Bentley had the privilege of visiting fourth grade students at Deer Valley Elementary in Hoover, Ala. and A. H. Watwood Elementary in Childersburg,
Ala. During this time she read to the students and told them about her love for reading. Afterwards, she shared with the fourth
graders her binder of state symbols from the state flower to the state marine
mammal (which by the way is the West Indian manatee!). Needless to say it was a hit, and the binder
will be used again and again. The most
fun reactions from the students however came from showing photos of the Governor’s
Mansion and the Alabama-shaped swimming pool.
She was asked if her grandchildren ever get lost in the Mansion, and the answer
is yes! Another cute question was "What's it like being the government's wife?" 
The
First Lady and her staff loved seeing the fourth grade students and teachers of
Deer Valley and A.H. Watwood Elementary Schools. We especially loved seeing how eager the kids
were to learn, how passionate the teachers were about serving the children of
Alabama, and what steps administrators were taking to move their schools
forward. Thank you for making time for
us!
