Ironton High School senior Brent McBride is a tall guy who looks like he'd be equally at home on a basketball court as a golf course.

Instead, he's spending his Monday morning flapping his arms, singing, and holding an imaginary steering wheel as the wheels on the bus go round and round.

McBride is one of many Ironton High students who spent their morning with the children of the Lawrence County Early Childhood Center, leading them in songs, stories and games. It's just the latest event for Tiger Tales, an IHS group that travels to local grade schools to read to children.

Monday's event, which also featured the Ironton High Varsity Singers leading interactive songs, was the first of several events in the ECC's Week of the Young Child.

Tommie Lintner, a family consumer science teacher, heads up Tiger Tales. She said that in addition to building self-esteem for its members, she hopes the group sets a good example for the little ones.

"It encourages the little kids to read, and it makes our kids feel important," Lintner said. "It's two-fold. They are big people to these little kids."

Brent McBride certainly looked bigger as he towered over the younger ECC students and lead them in a round of "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." They have no choice but to look up to him, and it's clear that's a position he doesn't mind being in.

"The kids are usually happy to see the older kids, they kind of connect with us because we're students, but we're older, we're high school kids, so you can tell we're kind of like their role models," McBride said. "So they have a good time, you can tell they enjoy it."

Junior Cassie Mountain has been a member of Tiger Tales for all of her three high school years. She's seen some of the same children through the years, and has been able to watch them grow up.

"I enjoy the kids a lot, and to see their progress is nice," Mountain said. "And getting into the story is nice, when you ask them questions and they know the answers."

"And they're so cute when they answer too," Junior Megan Wade chimes in with a warm grin.

Sue A. Vanderhoof is the director of early childhood programs for the Lawrence County Board of Mental Retardation/Development Disabilities. She's thankful for the Ironton groups, but suspects those students get as much out of the event as hers do.

"The big kids, I think, get just as much enjoyment and pleasure participating in these events as our little kids," Vanderhoof said. "I just think it's all about increasing awareness, it's all about educating people on celebrating differences and similarities."

"Week of the Young Child" continues at 6 p.m. tonight with an art auction that's open to the public.

Wednesday, the marching bands of Rock Hill and South Point High Schools will get their chance to entertain the Early Childhood Center with a parade, and the festivities will climax on Thursday with a parking-lot carnival at 11 a.m. that will also be open to the public.