American Reading Company Joins Mayor Redd and 'Famous Wally Amos' to Kick Off New School Year on September 2nd

CAMDEN, N.J., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- American Reading Company is proud to sponsor "Let's Make 2010-11 the Best School Year Ever!" – a day-long September 2nd event for Camden students and parents that will involve free children's books, free cookies and milk, and appearances by Wally Amos – known for his cookies and his commitment to promoting literacy as Chairman of the Read It LOUD! Foundation.

American Reading Company's ACTION 100 Response to Intervention framework has helped transform the reading culture of Camden City Public Schools; they are implementing the Pre-K through eighth-grade program this year and are partnering with the Camden's Promise Neighborhood to bring Wally Amos to the city for a morning press conference and three appearances:

• 8 a.m. at Camden School District Office (201 North Front Street): Press Conference with Mayor Dana L. Redd, American Reading Company, Wally Amos of Read It LOUD! Foundation, Superintendent Dr. B. LeFra Young, Deputy Superintendent Reuben F. Mills, and others
• 9:45 to 10:30 a.m. at the Early Childhood Development Center, 1602 Pine Street
• Noon to 1 p.m. at U.S. Wiggins Elementary School, 400 Mt. Vernon Street
• 5 to 6 p.m. at Cramer Elementary School, 2800 Mickle Street

At each location, Mr. Amos will be speaking about the importance of reading together as a family for 10 minutes a day. Formerly the National Spokesman for Literacy Volunteers of America, Mr. Amos is a literacy advocate who currently serves as a Board Member of the National Center for Family Literacy and Communities in Schools, as well as Chairman of the Chip & Cookie Read It LOUD! Foundation. Free cookies and milk will be offered at each event, and the Eagles Youth Partnership will set up its bookmobile -- which is five car lengths long -- and distributes free books to parents, caregivers and children so that they can start their own home libraries.

"It's no secret that children develop a love for reading when they grow up in an environment that values literacy and books, and Camden City Public Schools, Wally Amos and American Reading Company are helping to cultivate that type of environment," said Jane Hileman, Founder and CEO of American Reading Company. "The American Reading Company is proud to play a role in this event, which will help get the 2010-11 school year off to a positive start."  A representative from American Reading Company will be on hand at each location to help drive home the message that reading can make a tremendous difference in the lives of children... especially when parents and caregivers get involved.  

American Reading Company knows this firsthand. Last September, all 20 of Camden City Public Schools' elementary and family schools adopted the company's intensive intervention program, which yielded a positive increase in student achievement in reading.  The initiative was implemented in approximately 500 classrooms for Grades K-8 with more than 8,000 participating students. Building on the program's success last year, ACTION 100 will continue for a second year and be added at the Pre-K level.  

"Last year's ACTION 100 program was a historic and unprecedented district-wide implementation in Camden and we are thrilled to continue it this year," says Dr. B. LeFra Young, Superintendent of Schools. "It is our number one priority to ensure that every single student is reading on or above grade level.  With a collective effort from principals, teachers, parents, students, district staff, union leaders, and community members, we are already on our way toward achieving this goal."

About American Reading Company

American Reading Company was founded in 1998 and is based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Today, more than a million students in more than 1,800 schools across 420 districts in 40 states participate in the Company's programs.  Extensive research shows that 100 Book Challenge has boosted the standardized reading test scores of students and dramatically closed the achievement gap in participating schools.  Action 100 is the Company's most comprehensive intervention program, designed to turn around the nation's lowest-performing schools under the requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  For more information, please visit www.americanreading.com

CONTACT: Jessica Lester (215) 884-6499 (office) or (215) 421-7536 (cell)

SOURCE American Reading Company