News Release

NEA Rolls Out Red Carpet for Hundreds of Local Students at Annual NEA Read Across America Read-In

Bilingual, daylong Read-In encourages summer reading fun, highlights importance of children's literacy

LOS ANGELES -- LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!  The red carpet was rolled out today for future "reading stars" at NEA’s Read Across America’s annual Read-In, part of the nation’s largest reading celebration, sponsored by the 2.7 million-member National Education Association (NEA).  From Horton Hears a Who to If I Ran the Zoo, Dr. Seuss was on the Loose!
 
The Read-In also kicked off the first day of the NEA’s 143rd Annual Meeting, July 1-6, which typically draws more than 9,000 delegates to the host city.

As summer heats up and schools let out around the Valley, hundreds of local elementary students gathered in the Los Angeles Convention Center Kentia Hall for the daylong Read-In to share in the joys of reading. 

"Children’s literacy is an essential component of high student achievement, and summer reading is vital for the development and mastery of core reading skills," said NEA President Reg Weaver.  "By making reading fun and engaging, we can heighten student motivation and interest in reading, which is at the heart of NEA's Read Across America program."

In addition to the Read-In's normal excitement, this year there was the new feature of bilingual readings.  The launch of "Lea con La NEA," a Spanish language program, is designed to reach out to the Latino community.  Los Angeles Galaxy soccer superstars Kevin Hartman and Herculez Gomez kicked off the afternoon segment by reading in both English and Spanish.

More than 45 million readers gather each year at exciting literacy events sponsored by the NEA’s Read Across America—now in its eighth year.  Past celebrities, including Morgan Freeman, Garth Brooks, James Earl Jones, Amanda Bynes and JC Chasez of the hit group N*Sync, have helped kids discover the joys of reading through the program.

Thanks to the generous donations of Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Lee and Low, each student will receive a gift book and other fun goodies at the event.

July 1, 2005

Contact:
Staci Maiers, NEA Public Relations (202) 270-5333 cell

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