The feather in NEA's cap:
Read Across America
On March 2, 1998, NEA heartily threw its hat into the reading motivation ring, and NEA's Read Across America Day has since become the nation's largest reading celebration.
As during the past six Read Across America Day celebrations, reading parties will take place around the country on March 2, 2004, the commemoration of Theodor Seuss Geisel's 100th birthday. This year participants will be encouraged to rev up the party atmosphere and focus attention on how important it is to motivate children to read, in addition to helping them master basic skills. To deliver this message about the joys of reading and the creative inspiration books provide, NEA will be asking readers to set aside the many hats they wear for work and play and don the red and white striped "reading hat" of the Cat in the Hat on March 2.
The reading fun of NEA's Read Across America Day has brought high visibility to NEA in the field of reading motivation and has led to the development of several highly successful and substantive programs, resources, and partnerships for NEA, its members, and their students. NEA's Read Across America provides NEA members, parents, caregivers, and volunteers the resources and activities children need to be readers on March 2 and every day. Like the campaign that inspired them, NEA's "Read Across America Initiatives" bring children and books together and raise awareness about the importance, value, and fun of reading throughout the year.
Read Across America Initiatives
 Youth Leaders for Literacy is a joint initiative of the NEA and Youth Service America (YSA) to help youth direct their enthusiasm and creativity into reading-related service projects.
You and your students (ages 5-21) could win a $500.00 grant to fund a youth-led literacy service project. Whether students work together to bring reading activities to a local shelter, or individuals coordinate book drives to create reading corners in health clinics, young people can have a meaningful and enjoyable experience while making a difference. Through literacy service projects, young people will develop better attitudes toward books and reading, and more confidence in themselves and their ability to contribute to the community. A complete and well-rounded experience could be a model for projects they undertake throughout their lives. Applications for Youth Leaders for Literacy that reflect student leadership and involvement in developing and carrying out the project will be given highest consideration.
Resources:
At this web site:
At Youth Services America:
Dates to remember:
- Deadline for Grant Applications is December 1, 2003
- Projects must be conducted March 2, 2004 (Read Across America Day) through April 16-18, 2004 (National Youth Service Days).
Get a Kick Out of Reading/¡Lee y Marca un Golazo! is a partnership of NEA, Major League Soccer (MLS), and a roster of supporting organizations working together to integrate the sport of soccer into activities that help change attitudes about reading, and deliver positive messages about its fun and value. These organizations, including the American Library Association, Random House Children's Books, National Council of La Raza, the National Association for Bilingual Education, ASPIRA, and the League of United Latin American Citizens, are bringing books and bilingual multicultural reading activities to select groups of children in MLS team cities. But you don't have to live in a Major League Soccer community to participate. The program also offers reproducible materials for educators, librarians, volunteers, parents, and others who would like to inspire reading with a soccer-themed reading challenge.
Resources:
At the Major League Soccer and NEA's Get a Kick Out of Reading:
- "Reading Challenge"
- Soccer-themed reading list
Send comments to readacross@nea.org
|
Archives 
Printer friendly 
E-mail 
Subscribe 
