First Spouses and a Governor Host Scholastic Summer Challenge(TM) Events to Encourage Summer Reading
NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 07/08/09 -- Summer reading got a boost recently as 38 U.S.
Gubernatorial Spouses and one Governor joined the Scholastic Summer Challenge
literacy campaign as "Reading Ambassadors" to encourage kids to read four
or more books. Twenty-eight Reading Ambassadors also hosted events in their
states to speak to students, families, and teachers about the importance of
summer reading. In support of the Governors' Spouses' involvement,
Scholastic donated 500 books to fourth and fifth grade students in each of
the participating states -- a total of 19,500 books.
Since the Scholastic Summer Challenge launched on April 30, 2009, more than
55,000 kids have signed up for the Challenge and have recorded more than 49
million minutes spent reading. The Scholastic Summer Challenge web site has
viewers in 143 countries, for over one million combined page views to date.
"We are grateful to the Reading Ambassadors for helping spread the message
that when children read over the summer they return to school ready to
progress further and farther," said Richard Robinson, Chairman and CEO,
Scholastic. "These role models have sent a powerful message to children and
families in their states. We are thankful for the opportunity for
Scholastic to deliver nearly 20,000 books to children across the country
who can now take a book home to read and share with family and friends --
something we know is critical for becoming a passionate reader."
In addition to lending their names to the cause, 27 First Spouses and one
Governor also hosted reading events in their states:
-- First Lady of Louisiana Supriya Jindal hosted seven events at
schools and summer camps across the state -- leading science experiments,
discussing the importance of math and science in everyday life, and
encouraging kids to keep reading this summer.
-- First Lady of Kansas
Stacy Parkinson hosted a reading event at Mueller Elementary School, a
magnet school for aerospace and engineering, in Wichita.
