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Home > Leadership > Mayor > Archive Press Releases > 2006 Archives > May 2006 > MAYOR BROWN HELPS LAUNCH FULL SEASON OF LITERACY

MAYOR BROWN HELPS LAUNCH FULL SEASON OF LITERACY


Source/Contact
Office of the Mayor
Peter K. Culter
Director of Communications
716-851-4841

"The Big Read" Launches Summer-Long Literacy Effort

Buffalo, NY – Mayor Byron W. Brown today announced a groundbreaking partnership to promote A Full Summer Season of Literacy, a community-wide literacy initiative. Mayor Brown was joined by Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Dr. James Williams and Helene Kramer, Chair of the Buffalo Reads Literacy Coalition, a coalition of 40 community organizations dedicated to improving literacy for the citizens of Buffalo. 

Laurie Dean Torrell, Executive Director of Just Buffalo Literary Center, will kick-off the Summer Season of Literacy with the launch of The Big Read, a month-long celebration of literature and reading in May featuring Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

Mayor Brown, a long-standing advocate of reading among the city's youth through his Summer Reading Challenge, said,  "Buffalo has entered an era of unprecedented focus and cooperation around the issue of literacy and improving reading among all of our citizens.  Through my Summer Reading Program and my A+ Education proposal, I have dedicated resources to help encourage youth to read and to improve their overall educational experience. Buffalo has a 30 percent adult illiteracy rate, which translates into one-in-three adults not having basic reading and writing skills.  Almost three-quarters (74 percent) of 8th graders are not reading at grade level.  Through a cooperative, coordinated effort, we can change that."

"Our 3-year Academic Achievement Plan is focused on literacy and the Buffalo Reads program is a natural extension of that," states Dr. James A. Williams, Superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools.  "By reading over the summer, children continue using the skills they learned during the school year."

Helene Kramer, representing a coalition of 40 community organizations dedicated to improving literacy for the citizens of City of Buffalo, and working to make Reading a community value, is leading the development of a citywide strategic plan for literacy.  "Our goal is 100% literacy for every child and every adult in the City of Buffalo, and we won't stop until we achieve that goal," said Ms. Kramer.

Just Buffalo Literacy Center is one of only ten cultural organizations across the nation chosen this year by the National Endowment for the Arts to bring the Big Read to their respective communities.

Promotion of the summer-long literacy programs will be coordinated and promoted through the Mayor's Office, the Buffalo Public Schools, Just Buffalo Literary Center, Literacy Volunteers, Good Schools for All/Buffalo Reads Coalition, WKBW-TV, WBFO-FM, WNED public television and radio, Talking Leaves Independent Bookstores, and the Buffalo and Erie County Public Libraries.