Racine, Wis. Children Dreaming about Books this Holiday Season

RACINE, Wis., Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- While children across the country are writing holiday wish lists and anticipating the upcoming winter break, Racine's children are focused on reading, in a big way. Just 10 weeks into the Racine Reads: Dream Big! program, Racine elementary school children have already hit the halfway point toward their goal to read one million books in the 2011-2012 school year.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111208/CG19647)

"I am absolutely thrilled to see Racine's students, teachers and community members embrace this challenge so enthusiastically," said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. "I applaud them all for their dedication to Racine Reads: Dream Big! and can't wait to help celebrate when we reach one million books."

Racine Reads: Dream Big! is a community-led initiative that is challenging the city's elementary school children to read one million books this school year. The program reaches more than 10,000 elementary school students in nearly 500 public, private and parochial classrooms across Racine. The program is sponsored by SC Johnson and is a partnership with the Racine Public Library along with City of Racine, Racine Elementary Schools, the Racine Civic Centre, Racine Literacy Council, Family Literacy of Racine, Cops 'N Kids and Girls Inc.

Why Dream Big? Because Reading Matters
Reading is a fundamental skill that impacts children throughout their lives. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), fourth graders who reported having 25 books or more at home had higher scores on reading tests than children who said they didn't have that many books*. NCES also reports that one child in four grows up not knowing how to read. Communities across the nation are challenged to keep children interested in learning and Racine is no different.

Racine Reads - By the Numbers
Response to Racine Reads: Dream Big! has been overwhelming; highlights include:

• More than 500,000 books read by students in grades K-5 in Racine's public, private and parochial schools
• More than 400 teachers registered in the program
• Nearly 80 percent of all eligible classrooms participating in the program
• All 36 eligible schools in the Racine area are registered

"This level of participation from all the Racine schools is absolutely unprecedented," said Jessica MacPhail, Director of the Racine Public Library. "We are very excited about the positive impact this program is having on young readers. Teachers have shared with us that their students are already showing an increase in their comprehension levels based on their participation and enthusiasm in the program."

Teachers input their classroom totals via www.racinereads.org, and community members can check in for updates daily. In addition, community members can become a fan of Racine Reads: Dream Big! on Facebook.

What's Next: Upcoming Events
Part of the program is to bring reading to life across different mediums. A number of events are planned through the end of the 2011-2012 school year. Upcoming events include:

January 23-27, 2012 – One Book, One Grade, One Community
"One Book, One Grade, One Community" is a new community-wide event where students in grade levels 3, 4 and 5 read and receive the same age-appropriate book. Program books include:

Grade 3 – The End of the Beginning, by Avi
Grade 4 – Cat Diaries: Secret Writings of the MEOW Society, by Betsy Byers
Grade 5 – Dear Mr. Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary

February 16, 2012 – Author Visit: Richard Allington
The community will have an opportunity to hear Dr. Richard Allington, an expert in educating teachers on the best methods to teach reading. Allington has written more than 100 research articles and a number of books on this topic including Classrooms that Work: They Can All Read and Write. During his visit, Dr. Allington will speak to both educators and parents.

March 2, 2012 – Read Across America Day
The National Education Association's (NEA) Read Across America Day, now in its 13th year, is a program focused on motivating children and teens to read. To support Read Across America Day, which coincides with Dr. Suess' birthday, Racine Reads: Dream Big! will implement a volunteer program placing community and business leaders in every classroom throughout Racine.  

Other 2012 events include Battle of the Books (March and April), a visit from Rosemary Wells, author of the popular Max and Ruby children's book series, (April 27) and a community-wide victory celebration when the students reach the one million book goal. Visit www.racinereads.org for more information.

SOURCE Racine Reads: Dream Big!