PERU - The Peru State Education Association organized the annual Dr. Seuss birthday bash in February with two shows in the Performing Arts Center.

The executive team included President Kylie Hansen of Lincoln, vice president Ryann Hanger of Palmyra and committee chair Klarysa Throckmorton of Syracuse.

Dr. Gina Bittner and her education 290 class took the stage with a performance of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Tim Robertson, the college’s security director, played the role of a police officer.

Participants took the readers oath.

Here is the college's press release

(Peru, NE) – On February 27th, the Peru Student Education Association (PSEA) organized and hosted the annual Dr. Seuss Birthday Bash in the Performing Arts Center. This family friendly event was attended by community members, preschool and elementary students, teachers and parents from several schools in the area, including: Auburn, Conestoga, Craig, First Steps Learning Center, Amazing Grace, Fort Crook, Hamburg, Humboldt Table Rock, Steinauer (HTRS), Johnson-Brock, Johnson County Central, Lewiston, Little Learners, Peru Day Care, Rock Port, Sterling, Tarkio, Two Springs Elementary, and Falls City. There were two shows, one at 9:30 am and another at 1:00 pm.

The 2025 Dr. Seuss celebration featured pre-show events such as sing-alongs, bubble machines, a dance party and large beach balls flying across the auditorium. Afterward, attendees watched four plays: The Grinch, Horton, The Cat in the Hat, and Green Eggs and Ham.

This event was led by the PSEA executive team, including President Kylie Hansen (Lincoln, NE), Vice President Ryann Hanger (Palmyra, NE), Klarysa Throckmorton (Syracuse, NE) as Treasurer and Committee Chair, and Kaitlyn Doyal (Topeka, KS) as Secretary. PSEA has been hosting Dr. Seuss since 2002 when Dr. Judith Ruskamp led the group. Dr. Ruskamp handed the baton to Dr. Darolyn Seay in 2016, and Dr. Gina Bittner joined the ranks in 2025 as a PSEA Faculty Sponsor.

The newest addition to both performances included Dr. Bittner’s EDUC 290, Selecting and Evaluating Literature for the Elementary, class to join on stage. Dr. Bittner mentioned that “This has been a fun way to engage our teacher candidates while partnering with area schools. This type of event adds great value to our PSC teacher education program, offering opportunities for teacher candidates to bring books to life for students.” This year’s performance of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” featured a guest appearance of Peru State College’s Security Director, Tim Robertson, who played the role of the police officer.

The latter featured guest appearances from the Dean of Arts and Science, Dr. Paul Hinrichs, and Peru State Foundation Executive Director, Mr. Ted L. Harshbarger, whom both got several laughs from the audience. At the end of the show, the audience was led by Dr. Paul Turman, the Chancellor of the Nebraska State College System, Dr. Hinrichs, and Mr. Harshbarger, as everyone joined in reading the Reader's Oath, committing to reading every day.

The Peru Student Education Association is an organization for education majors at Peru State College, co-sponsored by Dr. Gina Bittner, Dr. Anthony Citrin, and Dr. Darolyn Seay.

“Dr. Seuss Day is an event that captures the spirit of inviting and engaging all campus and community members in fostering a love for reading among young children. The Dr. Seuss performances are a reminder of the simple joys in life: curiosity, imagination, and discovery. This memory has made a lasting impression on many that continue to remember the Dr. Seuss Day at Peru State College. I am honored to be a part of something so special,” shared Dr. Darolyn Seay.

Nestled in the hills of historic Southeast Nebraska, Peru State College offers a mix of innovative online and traditional classroom undergraduate and graduate programs, including online graduate degrees in education and organizational management.

Established in 1867 as Nebraska’s first college, Peru State has transformed over the past century and a half into a state-of-the-art institution offering diverse, multifaceted educational programs annually to nearly 1,200 students