(NEWS RELEASE) – Porter-Leath celebrated the power ofreading Thursday with Jumpstart’s Read for the Record Day, which connectsmillions of volunteers and children across the country to read the same book onthe same day. The national campaign, which highlights the importance of earlyliteracy and language skills, has distributed thousands of books to children inunderserved communities.
Jumpstart produces a special edition of the Read for theRecord book each year that includes guiding questions and reading tips to helpengage young children. Read for the Record celebrated its 14th anniversary with“Thank You, Omu!,” which shares the story of a generous elderly woman whoshares a meal with her community. United Way of the Mid-South and InternationalPaper teamed up to sponsor Read for the Record in Memphis this year, providing3,000 copies of the book to Porter-Leath students.
“United Way of the Mid-South strives to advance individualsand families from where they are to where they dream to be,” said Rev. KennethS. Robinson, M.D., President and CEO, United Way of the Mid-South. “One of thebest ways to ensure a positive quality of life for Mid-Southerners is througheducation and early literacy. We are proud to be a part of Read for the Recordwith Porter-Leath and International Paper.”
“United Way of the Mid-South strives to advance individualsand families from where they are to where they dream to be,” said Rev. KennethS. Robinson, M.D., President and CEO, United Way of the Mid-South. “One of thebest ways to ensure a positive quality of life for Mid-Southerners is througheducation and early literacy. We are proud to be a part of Read for the Recordwith Porter-Leath and International Paper.”
Porter-Leath takes part in Jumpstart’s Read for the RecordDay to enrich classroom reading time in the agency’s Preschool Program, whileheightening the community’s awareness of the need for early literacy practice.“Literacy lays the foundation for lifelong success,” said Sean Lee, Presidentof Porter-Leath. “Participating in Read for the Record each year helpsreinforce Porter-Leath’s commitment to providing language rich environmentsthat spark children’s imaginations and love for reading.”
Porter-Leath’s early literacy initiatives have made atremendous impact on children’s overall development through readingcomprehension, letter and word recognition and vocabulary development. Theorganization’s comprehensive range of early childhood programs — Cornerstone,Preschool, Generations and Books from Birth — engages the child, family andcommunity in an immersive learning experience that supports social, emotionaland cognitive growth.
