Applied Materials Foundation Invests $25,000 to Support Bring Me A Book's Elementary School Library Initiative in Franklin McKinley School District

Library Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Featuring Applied Materials Foundation and Franklin McKinley School District

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Franklin McKinley School District and Bring Me A Book (BMAB) will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to launch the expansion of the San Jose Elementary School Library Initiative in Franklin McKinley School District. The initiative is supported by the Applied Materials Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Applied Materials, Inc., whose mission is to make a positive social contribution in regions where Applied employees work and live. Bookcase Libraries will be presented to the kindergarten classrooms of Captain Jason M. Dahl Elementary School in a ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by read aloud sessions with kindergarten students and representatives from the Applied Materials Foundation and Franklin McKinley School District. Members of the media are encouraged to attend for event photographs and interviews.

The installation of the Bookcase Libraries is being provided through a $25,000 grant to BMAB from the Applied Materials Foundation, which will place 16 kindergarten Bookcase Libraries in five Franklin McKinley schools in 2010. Each BMAB Bookcase Library features an open display bookcase filled with 30 new, hardcover, multicultural and age appropriate children's books. In addition to the new bookcases, the funding to BMAB has already provided First Teachers literacy workshops at each of the five schools this past December to educate and inspire parents to read aloud with their children everyday.   Research shows that reading aloud and parental involvement are the two most important factors contributing toward a young child's success in school and reading. Furthermore, easy access to books is of utmost importance in improving student reading scores.

"Bring Me A Book Foundation has been instrumental in developing a love for reading with children and parents.  Over the years, the organization has proven to be an essential contributor to helping children get the best start possible in school, ultimately leading to student success and improved communities," said Mark Walker, Executive Director, the Applied Materials Foundation.

The $25,000 investment from the Applied Materials Foundation will continue the expansion of the San Jose Elementary School Library Initiative, which was first launched in 2005, to Franklin McKinley School District.  With earlier funding investments from the Applied Materials Foundation, Cisco Systems, Junior League of San Jose, The Summit League, and Yahoo, BMAB has placed a Bookcase Library in every kindergarten classroom in Alum Rock Unified School District, Luther Burbank School District, and San Jose Unified School District.  To date, investment funding has provided 220 Bookcase Libraries in 27 elementary schools and 80 First Teachers workshops to parents and caregivers of the children enrolled in these school sites.  In 2010/11, BMAB is seeking to provide all kindergarten classrooms in each of the Franklin McKinley School District's 14 elementary schools, with a Bookcase Library and a First Teachers workshop for parents and caregivers of students.

The Bring Me A Book Foundation® (www.bringmeabook.org) is a 501 (c) (3) award winning literacy non profit headquartered in Mountain View, CA. Bring Me A Book places libraries of books in state funded preschools, elementary schools (K – 3rd grade) and community centers and provides a First Teachers literacy training workshop for parents, teachers and caregivers.

SOURCE Bring Me a Book Foundation