NEA's Read Across America

Enter The Youth Venture-Dr. Seuss Lorax Challenge!

Turn Your Earth-Saving Ideas Into A Reality

Do your students have ideas that will save the Earth? Have them enter The Youth Venture-Dr. Seuss Lorax Challenge! Students will receive up to $1,000 to make their ideas a reality. Plus, five Grand Prize winners will get a FREE trip to the University of Florida for an Environmental Boot Camp! For details, go to www.loraxchallenge.org. Don't wait—the competition deadline is May 31.

Ashoka's Youth Venture

Ashoka's Youth Venture is a global movement of young people who are generating serious environmental and social change. They help people between the ages of 12 and 20 to turn their Earth-saving ideas into high-impact reality. "Venturers" are provided with the resources they need – including up to $1,000 in funding – to create their own youth-led projects, groups, and organizations. Venturers pursue individual passions in innovative ways, whether it's by converting a school bus into a bio-diesel-powered classroom or by developing a line of handmade reusable grocery bags. Learn more at www.genv.net.

Summer Learning Is In the Bag

The school bell may stop ringing, but summer is a great time for all kinds of learning opportunities for kids.  Reading Rockets has packed a virtual Beach Bag of activities for teachers to help families get ready for summer and to launch students to fun, enriching summertime experiences.  Educators will find materials to download and distribute, as well as ideas and connections to offer to students and parents to help ensure summer learning gain rather than loss.  Plus, you'll have a chance to win a real bag to tote around your own summer reading!  Reading Rockets' sister Web site AdLit.org also offers a veritable beach bag of ideas to help keep middle and high school students engaged and challenged during the summertime and an opportunity to win a selection of new young adult book titles.

Read-In Kicks Off in Atlanta

Hundreds of local schoolchildren were encouraged to open up books during a special read-in at the Imagine It! Children's Museum of Atlanta, an unconventional museum and site of this year's Read Across America kick off. The read-in attracted some celebrity guest readers including Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman Renardo Foster, WNBA legend Rushia Brown and Bobbie Porche, the director of constituent services in the Office of the Mayor. Read more.

Cat-a-Vans Launch 2008 Reading Tour

Catch the reading ride this Read Across America season! Three Cat-a-Van tours  hit the roads to celebrate the joy of reading. The three tours started their travels in Atlanta, Austin and Chicago to cover more than 1,200 miles in 11 states.

NEA's Cat-a-Vans hit the road to bring the gift of reading to thousands of students. Photo by Jessica McGowan. Courtesy of NEA. All Rights Reserved.

During the cat trek, the tours visited more than 18 cities in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas to provide more than 12,000 books and cash grants valued at $100,000, thanks to a generous donations from NEA's Books Across America, a program that provides book donations and financial backing to public school libraries in need.

Books Open a Brighter Future

President Weaver's radio message coincided with Read Across America

"The first time a parent, grandparent, or sibling picks up a book and opens it with a child, the future burns brighter." In his recent radio message, timed to coincide with NEA’s Read Across America, Reg Weaver says the 11-year history of the event fits well into the century-and-a-half mission of the 3.2 million-member Association: "The pictures and sounds of reading build a foundation of achievement in both school and life."

Seuss is on the Loose at Sylvan Learning Center

Sylvan Learning Center, the nation's leading provider of supplemental assistance for children in grades preK-12, has joined NEA's Read Across America in spreading the word about reading. "The more children read, the more they'll enjoy reading and the better readers they are likely to become," said Richard E. Bavaria, vice president of education for Sylvan Learning Center. NEA President Reg Weaver agreed. "Part of Read Across America's phenomenal success is its diverse participation from more than 45 million nationwide, and with Sylvan Learning Center's help, our commitment to building a nation of readers can be realized." Read more .

Celebrate Reading All Year Long

Looking to celebrate reading all year long? NEA's Read Across America's 2008 Resource Calendar  and toolkit—with art by well known children's illustrators—shines its light on fun books and book events. You'll also find posters, tips on Read Across America Day events, and links to keep reading on the radar throughout the year. Limited print quantities are available for order. 

2008 Youth Leaders for Literacy Grant Winners Announced

The winning projects for this year's Youth Leaders for Literacy (YLL) grant competition to put reading on the map are diverse and creative. With more than 200 entries, 30 have been selected to receive a cash grant of $500, for a total of $15,000 in cash awards. The winning youth-led initiatives will launch on March 3, NEA's Read Across America Day, and will culminate during Youth Service America's Global Youth Service Days, April 25-27, 2008. Find out about this year's recipients and their winning projects.

New Resources From Our Partners

AdLit.org, a national multimedia project offering information and resources to parents and educators of struggling adolescent readers and writers, has ideas for celebrating Read Across America with tweens and teens. And at ReadingRockets.org, which offers information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help, there's a new e-card for all your March 3 "save the date" and invitation needs.

Get Connected

Our e-newsletter will provide the latest news in reading from Read Across America and partner organizations. You'll find links to grant information, classroom and parent materials, and more. To join, NEA members should send a blank e-mail to join-nea-raa-enewsletter@list.nea.org.