Jumpstart, a national early education non-profit organization, announced the official kick-off to its 2012 Read for the Record campaign on Sept. 25. As part of this year's campaign, Jumpstart will host nearly 250 Read for the Record events nationwide to set a new world reading record and raise awareness of the importance of quality early education.
On Sept. 25, Jumpstart, a national early education non-profit organization, announced that Grammy award-winning, multi-platinum artist Ashanti is the official celebrity ambassador of the 2012 Read for the Record campaign.
As celebrity ambassador, Ashanti officially kicked off the campaign with a special appearance on the TODAY Show on Sept. 24 to encourage people to participate in the world’s largest shared reading experience on Oct. 4. Ashanti joined the TODAY team live on set at The New York Public Library as part of NBC News’ 2012 “Education Nation” Summit coverage.
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, presented in partnership with the Pearson Foundation, is one day of the year when millions of individuals come together to celebrate literacy by breaking the world record for reading the same book on the same day. On Oct. 4, adults and children across the country will read Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad, by David Soman and Jacky Davis, in support of Jumpstart’s mission: to work toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed.
“We’re so honored to have Ashanti as our 2012 Read for the Record celebrity ambassador and we admire her commitment to help Jumpstart raise awareness of the importance of high quality early education in our country,” said Naila Bolus, president and CEO of Jumpstart.
In low-income neighborhoods, children start kindergarten 60 percent behind their peers from affluent communities, leaving them woefully unprepared when it’s time to start school. When children start school behind, they are more likely to stay behind for the rest of their lives, and this gap only widens over time. In 2011 alone, Jumpstart’s Read for the Record impacted 2.2 million individuals, raising awareness of the early education crisis and Jumpstart’s mission.
“I’m really excited to participate in Read for the Record and play a role in making a positive impact in the lives of children by giving them a ‘jump start,’” Ashanti says.
For more information about Jumpstart’s Read for the Record campaign, visit www.jstart.org/readfortherecord. For information on Jumpstart’s Read for the Record Fundraising Drive, visit http://bit.ly/JRFTR.
About Jumpstart
Jumpstart is a national early education organization working toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. Jumpstart delivers a research-based and cost-effective program by training college students and community volunteers to serve preschool-age children in low-income neighborhoods. Through a proven curriculum, these children develop the language and literacy skills they need to be ready for school, setting them on a path for lifelong success. Jumpstart is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. Learn more at www.jstart.org.
This post is republished from Business Wire.
