The College of Southern Maryland Board Chair and President, CEO of the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) Austin Joseph Slater Jr. visited the St. Charles Childrens Learning Center at the College of Southern Maryland (CLC) as a Celebrity Reader Jan. 22. Slater read one of his favorite childhood books, The Polar Express, written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg Williams. Prior to the reading, CLC Director Shirley Allen gave Slater a tour of the center and following the reading Slater handed out SMECO hats to the children as they thanked him for reading. The Children's Learning Center nurtures and enhances the lives of children and their parents by creating an environment that helps children interact with their world and peers, and building confidence, self-esteem and a life-long love of learning. For information on the Childrens Learning Center, visit http://www.csmd.edu/clc.