FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2007
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Susan Black
863.648.1500 x 240 or cell# 863.860.6206
SUCCESS BY 6 HELPING TO BREAK RECORD
NUMBER OF BOOKS READ TO CHILDREN
Lakeland, FL – On September 20, 2007, United Way Success By 6 is working with Jumpstart’s Read for the Record to help break the national record for the most children reading the same book on the same day. By having community volunteers read to over 1000 children in 30 difference child care centers throughout Polk County, Success By 6 hopes this special shared reading experience connects young children and adults in the early learning experiences that help promote early literacy.
The book selection is The Story of Ferdinand, a classic 1936 children’s story about a bull who didn’t want to fight and all the funny things that happened to him. Success By 6 matched volunteers with child care centers to provide guest readers to help break the national record. Last year, 150,000 children participated in this event nationwide. After the book is read, there are planned activities and book discussions for the children, a take home activity is provided to reinforce the story, and the children will receive a certificate of participation.
Guest readers who have volunteered to read to children on September 20 include Florida Southern College students, staff from Learning Resource Center and United Way of Central Florida and other community volunteers. All the child care centers who participate with Success By 6’s Parent Lending Library program have been encouraged to participate.
Parent Lending Libraries provide age-appropriate books for pre-school children to ‘borrow’ that help encourage early literacy skills, language development and parent involvement. Success By 6’s mission is to help all children enter school ready to succeed. Currently, almost half the children entering kindergarten in Polk County fail language proficiency screening meaning they are not ready to start learning kindergarten level class work.
For more information on Jumpstart’s Read for the Record visit ReadForTheRecord.org.
For more information on Success By 6 and Parent Lending Libraries, contact Lee Shupsky at United Way 863/648-1500 ext. 248.
###
