Valley Elementary School kindergarten students received a special visitor Oct. 8 as part of the national Read for the Record Day.

The national reading day kicked off on NBC’s “The Today Show,” and then classrooms across the nation kept the program going throughout the day.

Dr. Janey Thorton, the deputy under the Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services secretary in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, read to the students in the school’s library.

Thorton read Eric Carle’s “The Hungry Caterpillar.”

VES Principal Debbie Scarbrough said the mixture of reading and nutrition was a great teaching tool for the school’s students.

“This is an excellent opportunity to promote good nutrition eating habits for our children,” Scarbrough said.

LaDonna Lovejoy, the school’s cafeteria manager agreed.

“Anything that motivates the kids to eat healthier is a good thing,” Lovejoy said.

Thorton said it was a pleasure visiting Valley Elementary, while also promoting nutrition.

“We think nutrition education is an integral and vital part of the education process,” Thornton said. “We know hungry children don’t learn.”