HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania First Lady Marjorie
O. Rendell read to 40 second-grade students today about citizenship and a
young boy's experience the day his family became United States' citizens.
The reading fulfilled Judge Rendell's commitment as Pennsylvania's
Ambassador to the Scholastic "Read for 2006" Program. The seventh annual
global read-a-thon encourages children, parents and teachers to read for 2,006
seconds (33-1/2 minutes) to celebrate the importance and joy of reading on
this day and throughout the new year. Last year, over one million children in
24,000 classrooms spanning 34 countries joined to celebrate their love of
books.
"I am proud to be involved in such a worthwhile endeavor - one that
provides an easy and fun way for teachers and parents to get their children
excited about reading," said the First Lady. "Books provide children with the
opportunity to learn, explore and open their minds to new ideas. More than
560 classrooms across the commonwealth joined in this celebration."
Second grade students from Foose Elementary School listened as the First
Lady read "The American Wei," by Marion Hess Pomeranc. The book, one of the
First Lady's favorites, focuses on a Chinese-American preschooler on the day
of his family's naturalization ceremony - the day he became an American
citizen. The First Lady also spoke to the students about her dual roles as
First Lady and a federal judge and how she often presides over naturalization
ceremonies.
As First Lady of the commonwealth, Judge Rendell has focused her efforts
on the improvement of civic learning. She firmly believes that our children
deserve to be educated regarding the value of our democracy, how it is
intended to operate and ways in which they can participate. Reading can be a
great resource in integrating civics into a child's education, and, as the
First Lady travels to classrooms across Pennsylvania, she is sharing civic-
related books, teacher resources and tools.
In appreciation of the First Lady's participation, Scholastic Book Club
has provided 500 children's books (grades K-8) for the First Lady to donate
across the state. She will provide a portion of these books to the Foose
Elementary School library, some to the child care center located in the
Pennsylvania Finance Building and the additional books are being distributed
to various schools throughout the commonwealth.
"Literacy is truly the passport to success, for families and for all
children," said the First Lady. "It is of basic importance that we instill in
our children a lifelong passion for reading that will follow them for the rest
of their lives. By opening books, we open minds and we open futures, and
thanks to the generosity of Scholastic Books, children across the state will
have many more books to explore and experience the joy of reading."
The Rendell Administration is committed to creating a first-rate public
education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing
economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out
more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly
newsletter, visit his Web site at: http://www.governor.state.pa.us.
CONTACT: Kristianna Smith, Pennsylvania Office of the Governor,
+1-717-783-1116.
SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor
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Related links:
http://www.state.pa.us
http://www.governor.state.pa.us
CONTACT:
Kristianna Smith, Pennsylvania Office of the
Governor, +1-717-783-1116
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