Published 08-14-00
Submitted by Verizon Communications
Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and a national literacy team of major businesses are partnering to support literacy in the Boston area.
Massachusetts Teachers Association's (MTA) Summer Reading Program. Recipient of a $60,000 grant to fund a statewide summer reading program.
ReadBoston. Recipient of a $65,000 grant for its Reading Trial initiative that provides reading materials to inner-city youth before they enter first grade. In addition, newspaper ads and on-line banners will promote ReadBoston's programs. The total grant and in-kind support value to ReadBoston is $150,000.
World Education/Eastern LINCS Project. Recipient of a $50,000 contribution to acquire teaching materials for adult literacy and adult basic education students in the state.
Tobin Elementary School. Recipient of a $20,000 grant to fund youth literacy programs.
The Boston Globe's Newspaper in Education Program. Recipient of a $15,000 grant to establish an English as a second language program for middle school and high school students.
Roxbury Comprehensive Community Health Center's "Reading is the Best Medicine Program." Recipient of a $5,000 grant to purchase books for youth who visit the Roxbury Comprehensive Community Health Center.
"As he seeks to become the first Major Leaguer to hit .400 since Ted Williams in 1941, Nomar Garciaparra proves each day that he is a true sports champion," said Robert Mudge, Verizon Massachusetts state president. "Through his very visible support of literacy, Nomar extends his role model presence off the playing field, and will help shine a brighter spotlight on the issue of literacy in our communities."
As the Boston area's Literacy Champion, Garciaparra will help raise the awareness of literacy in the community. His image will appear on more than 20,000 Literacy Champion posters distributed at tonight's game between the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Fenway Park.
"The first way you expand your mind is by reading and it starts when you are young, Garciaparra said. "Reading matters because the more kids read the better they do in school."
Earlier this summer, the Massachusetts Teachers Association joined with the Red Sox to promote a summer reading program at schools and libraries throughout the state. Students in kindergarten through eighth grade were rewarded for reading the most books, with the top 250 winning free tickets to tonight's game.