NPC Day Book: Event Details
Event Name:	Literacy Crisis
Event Date:	Sep. 17, 2009
Event Type:	News Conference
Time:	9:30 AM
Sponsored by:	Ruder Finn
Event Location:	First Amendment Lounge
Details:	Exposing America's Early Literacy Crisis Business, government, education and non-profit leaders join together to bring urgent national attention to the early childhood literacy crisis affecting one in three American children. Lack of access to storybooks before the age of 5 can have long term consequences on children that severely impact a child's ability to succeed and result in student dropout rates 61% of families from low-income communities lack age-appropriate books, a major factor of the early childhood literacy crisis WHAT:         Reading to a child during ages 3-5 builds the key pre-literacy skills that lead to academic success. Research has shown that children who enter the school system without these skills are unable to catch up and are three to four times more likely to drop out in later years. Walmart, Pearson, the leading education publisher, and Jumpstart, a leading non-profit focused on early literacy intervention, will release a new report that details wide ranging academic research about the early childhood literacy crisis. At the news conference, new findings from a poll on Americans' understanding of early literacy will be released. WHO:         James Cleveland, Jumpstart Chief Executive Officer Adam Ray, Pearson Foundation Margaret McKenna, Walmart Foundation President Dr. Laura Berk, Author and Professor Emeritus, Illinois State University, and early childhood education expert         DC family who will talk first hand about the lack of access to books in their community. Ms. Carolene Charles, Director of the University of the District of Columbia's Child Development Center
Contact/Reservations:	Amber McCracken 202-274-5009 mccrackena@ruderfinn.com
Outlook Reminder
This event is not affiliated with the National Press Club or the Eric Friedheim Library.

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