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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2003

News Release

NEA and Friends Ready to Celebrate Read Across America 2003

More Than 40 National Organizations Come Together to Celebrate Reading

Washington, DC ?- It's that time of year again for the National Education Association's (NEA) Read Across America Day ? the nation?s favorite day to celebrate literacy. With four new organizations joining the more than 40 national partners and supporters of Read Across America Day, this year's event will be the largest and most exciting to date. March 3 kicks off the annual celebration that is expected to attract more than 45 million participants nationwide. (See the complete list of partners.)

NEA President Reg Weaver said, ?Reading is the cornerstone of a successful education. For young people to get ahead in life, the ability to read is step one. Every school person knows this; so do parents, businesses, politicians, preachers, and pundits. Making it happen requires all of us working together. The more than 40 national partners of Read Across America are ready and willing to do their share to make reading a reality for the nation?s young people. We salute their efforts.?

Here?s a sampling of how some Read Across America partners are planning to celebrate:

Random House Children's Books will make a donation of books to children in need between February 1 and March 31. For every two Dr. Seuss books purchased during that period, Random House will donate a book to First Book, a national nonprofit organization that gives disadvantaged children the opportunity to read and own their first new books. Through this Read Across America promotion, Random House Children's Books is committed to donating a minimum of 500,000 books to First Book.

Book Adventure has joined the March 3 celebration and is offering kids double points on this day only, for taking any of the quizzes available on the Book Adventure website, along with additional 50 points to a child?s doubled score when they complete a quiz pertaining to a Dr. Seuss book.

Awardees in the joint NEA/Youth Service America ?Youth Leaders for Literacy? program will launch their youth literacy service projects in twelve communities. (Learn about their projects.)

Reach Out and Read of Northwest Ohio is celebrating their second year of NEA?s Read Across America in an even bigger fashion. Their four Reach Out and Read sites, based in health clinics, will participate with volunteers reading Dr. Seuss in waiting room areas. Medical staff will don Cat in the Hat hats for the event and each child will receive a book to take home and read. At the local children's hospital the pediatric floor will celebrate NEA?s Read Across America with cake, celebrity story time, and books for all.

In Erie, Pa., First Book Erie, a nonprofit organization that distributes brand new books to needy kids throughout Erie County, is teaming with Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Erie Times-News in Education for celebrity storytime readings and a benefit bookfair.

Read Across America partners are working together in Tecumseh, Okla. Courtesy of the Oklahoma Education Association, the "Cat in the Hat" will stop by at all of the Tecumseh Public Library Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) sites--Krouch Early Head Start, Barnard Elementary, Cross Timbers Elementary, Tecumseh Head Start--and all children will receive a free book.

Bascomb Elementary PTA in Woodstock, Ga., is working with Publix supermarkets to promote a Read Across America Weekend with "Literacy - It's In The Bag!" Students are preparing "brown bag book reports" on Publix shopping bags, which will be used to bag groceries on March 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

The Amy Gail Buchman Congregation Schaarai Zedek Preschool in Tampa, Fla., will start celebrating Dr. Seuss birthday at Shabbat Service on Friday, February 28. The Rabbi will come as The Cat in the Hat to read, talk about the importance of reading, and kick off student efforts to log miles between Tampa and Los Angeles for every book read aloud.

The TSA Boys & Girls Club in Yuma, Ariz., has challenged club members to read 275 books within a one week period. If they achieve the goal all club employees will "dye" their hair green a la Green Eggs & Ham.

Dr. Seuss?s ABC is the reader?s book of choice at the LACCA Head Start in Lima, Ohio. Community members and parents will read with preschoolers, who will get their own book to keep.

Neshaminy High School's Greater Philadelphia High School Partnership in Langhorne, Pa., will sponsor a Read Across America celebration at the American Red Cross Homeless Shelter. High school students will administer the Reader's Oath, spend some time reading to the children and distribute books to all of the children at the shelter.

The Family Literacy program and Reach Out and Read of Healthy Start in Baltimore, will have a Read Across America celebration at their West Carey Street site with a reading by a local author, kids reading to kids, Tootie the clown, and poetry reading for adults.

The SM YMCA in Maplewood, N.J., plans to make Read Across America a center wide event, including even the infants in Seuss related reading fun.

The Friends of the Beaches Branch Library in Neptune Beach, Fla., are hosting their third Dr. Seuss Birthday READ-A-THON at the Beaches Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library in Neptune Beach.

Jefferson County Reading Council in White Hall, Ark., is planning to coordinate with the Pines Mall to have reading activities on Saturday, March 1st. There will be guest readers, a book exchange and many other activities for children and families.

Hundreds of children and families in the Champaign-Urbana, Ill. community are expected to celebrate Read Across America Day on March 8th at Lincoln Square Mall. This community wide Read Across America event is a collaborative effort of the Reading Group, Altrusa International Inc., U of I Extension, Champaign County Head Start, United Way, Star Publications, Parkland College Adult and Workforce Education, WILL, Urban League and Urbana Adult Education.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.