Program Celebrating Presidents Day
Pensacola, FL – Local officials including the Mayor of Pensacola, Ashton Hayward, and Escambia County Superintendent of Schools, Malcolm Thomas, will participate in a special Presidents Day read-along for children and adults at the annual Presidents Day Book Fair at Barnes & Noble in Pensacola on Saturday, February 14, 2015.
Benefits Reading is Fundamental
The Free event, which benefits the Reading Is Fundamental literacy program for children by providing free books to children in impoverished areas, begins at 2:00 PM, at the Barnes & Noble store in Pensacola located at 1200 Airport Blvd.
Student readers chosen from Ferry Pass Middle School, Newpoint Pensacola Academy and Bellview Middle School will read story excerpts about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. Special guests will include Secret Service Agent Jonathan Woolcock and former Washington, DC Police Officer and US Marshall Robert Nicholson.
Programs like Reading is Fundamental are Critical
“Programs like this one are so important to our community.” says Superintendent Thomas. “Putting a book in the hand of a child means transforming the life of that child and everyone around them.”
A talk about the American Presidency and the President’s job will be given by Mike Clapsadl, Co-President of the Pensacola Chapter of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. Boy Scout Troop 628 Honor Guard will post colors at the program with bugle calls provided by Military Bugler, Scotty Mills.
James Loyd, Community Relations Manager for Barnes & Noble, says his staff are always excited about these events with Reading Is Fundamental. Free books and prizes will be provided for children who attend the event dressed as their favorite President.
Note: The opportunity to learn to read for every child in the United States has become a critical issue in the success of our education programs. Reading is Fundamental (RIF) is the largest and most effective literacy program in the United States. Each year RIF provides 4.5 million children with 16 million new, free books together with literacy resources for impoverished children from birth to age 8 years. In addition to schools, RIF provides books to shelters, HEADSTART programs and rural areas. www.rif.org