Posted May 4th, 2009 by rthomas

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Summer Reading Challenge

Reading Ambassadors

AT A GLANCE

What is it?

A literacy support effort by Scholastic and Governors' Spouses to encourage children to read over the summer and maintain the momentum of reading throughout the entire year

Why Summer Reading?

Research shows that kids who don't read four or more age-appropriate books over the summer are more likely to fall victim to the "summer slide," the common loss of skills due to being out of school over the summer.

Visit the Summer Reading Site

scholastic.com/summer

Sara Sinek
ssinek@scholastic.com
(212) 343-6899

Amanda Hebert
ahebert@scholastic.com
(212) 343-6657

"Children's literacy is a vital and important issue, and the Gubernatorial Spouses are doing our part to provide families and educators with the encouragement, tools, and resources to help guide their children's reading development."

— Reading Ambassador Judge Marjorie Rendell, First Lady of Pennsylvania

Press Releases

Thirty-Nine U.S. Gubernatorial Spouses Become "Reading Ambassadors" to Encourage Kids to Read Four or More Books This Summer

Summer Reading Challenge Online Press Kit

Highlights

Who are the 2009 Reading Ambassadors?

Alaska – First Gentleman Todd Palin
Arkansas – First Lady Ginger Beebe
Colorado – First Lady Jeannie Ritter
Connecticut – First Gentleman Louis Rell
Georgia – First Lady Mary Perdue
Guam – First Lady Joann Camacho
Idaho – First Lady Lori Otter
Illinois – Governer Pat Quinn
Indiana – First Lady Cheri Herman Daniels
Iowa –First Lady Mari Culver
Kansas – First Lady Stacy Parkinson
Kentucky – First Lady Jane Beshear
Louisiana – First Lady Supriya Jindal
Maine – First Lady Karen Baldacci
Maryland – First Lady Katie O'Malley
Michigan – First Gentleman Daniel Mulhern
Missouri – First Lady Georganne Nixon
Montana – First Lady Nancy Schweitzer
Nebraska – First Lady Sally Ganem
Nevada – First Lady Dawn Gibbons
New Hampshire – First Lady Dr. Susan Lynch
New Mexico – First Lady Barbara Richardson
New York – First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson
North Carolina – First Gentleman Robert Eaves
North Dakota – First Lady Mikey Hoeven
Oklahoma – First Lady Kim Henry
Oregon – First Lady Mary Oberst
Pennsylvania – First Lady Marjorie Rendell
Rhode Island – First Lady Suzanne Carcieri
South Carolina – First Lady Jenny Sanford
South Dakota – First Lady Jean Rounds
St. Thomas Virgin Islands – First Lady Cecile de Jongh
Tennessee – First Lady Andrea Conte
Texas – First Lady Anita Perry
Utah – First Lady Mary Kaye Huntsman
Virginia – First Lady Anne Holton
West Virginia – First Lady Gayle Manchin
Wisconsin – First Lady Jessica Doyle
Wyoming – First Lady Nancy Freudenthal

What do Reading Ambassadors do?

The 2009 Reading Ambassadors are committed to supporting families and schools in their states by:

Sending a message that summer reading is critical to our children's success and that all children should have access to books to become lifelong readers and leaders of tomorrow
Making the home-to-school connection during the transitional summer months
Providing families with tools and resources to help guide their children's reading development
Helping get "four or more" books into the hands of children this summer

In support of their role as Reading Ambassadors, Scholastic will donate 500 books to fourth and fifth grade students in each of the First Spouses' states for the children to take home and read this summer.

The majority of the Reading Ambassadors will also be hosting summer reading kick-off events at local schools, libraries, or the governors' residences.

Downloads

Mary Oberst, First Lady of Oregon, poses with Students from Myers Elementary.
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Barbara Richardson First Lady of New Mexico at El Dorado School, Santa Fe
Barbara Richardson, First Lady of New Mexico, meets students at El Dorado Elementary School, Santa Fe on May 12
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Barbara Richardson First Lady of New Mexico at El Dorado School, Santa Fe
Barbara Richardson, First Lady of New Mexico, poses with students at El Dorado Elementary School
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Barbara Richardson First Lady of New Mexico at El Dorado School, Santa Fe
El Dorado Elementary students proudly arrange their school's new books.
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Suzanne Carcieri, Rhode Island
Suzanne Carcieri, First Lady of Rhode Island, reads to fourth and fifth grades at Hamilton elementary school, North Kingstown, on June 4.
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Stacy Parkinson, Kansas
Stacy Parkinson, First Lady of Kansas meets students at Mueller elementary school's May 20 reading event in Wichita
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Stacy Parkinson, First Lady of Kansas, reads to students at Mueller elementary school, Wichita
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Lori Otter, First Lady of Idaho, meets with students at the Snake River School Library in Blackfoot on May 22 (photo credit: Blackfoot Morning News)
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Dawn Gibbons, Nevada
Dawn Gibbons, First Lady of Nevada, reading to students (Photo Credit: Clark County School District)
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Dawn Gibbons, First Lady of Nevada, reads to students (Photo Credit: Clark County School District)
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Georgeanne Nixon, First Lady of Missouri, visits the newly opened library at Moreau Heights Elementary School in Jefferson City, on May 14
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Andrea Conte, First Lady of Tennessee, and George Johnson, CPO of the Boys and Girls Club of Scott County, promote summer reading at the Boys and Girls Club of Scott County on May 1
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Mary Kaye Huntsman, First Lady of Utah at Franklin Elementary Salt Lake City
First Lady of Utah Mary Kaye Huntsman reads to students at Franklin Elementary in Salt Lake City on April 30.
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Mary Kaye Huntsman, First Lady of Utah with Salt Lake City students
First Lady of Utah Mary Kaye Huntsman poses with some words of gratitude from Salt Lake City students.
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