NEW YORK, Nov. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education, and
media company, in collaboration with the Council of the Great
City Schools (CGCS), a coalition of 75 of the nation's largest
urban public school systems, has announced the School District
of Philadelphia in
Philadelphia, PA as the inaugural
winner of the Richard M. Robinson Literacy Champion Award.
Named in honor of the late Scholastic Chairman and CEO,
Richard (Dick) Robinson, this annual
award recognizes a CGCS member school district for demonstrated
progress in advancing reading achievement.
"During his near five decades leading Scholastic, Dick Robinson was a true champion of children's
literacy and education," said Rose
Else-Mitchell, President, Scholastic Education
Solutions. "He believed that the core to the work we do is
reaching the hearts of children to help them discover the stories,
people, and worlds that can spark confidence and curiosity, while
giving them the skills and tools necessary to navigate the 21st
century. We're honored to introduce this new award in partnership
with the Council of the Great City Schools to recognize Dick's
lasting legacy, and to expand opportunities for students through
access to high-quality, engaging print and digital resources."
According to findings from the Scholastic Teacher &
Principal School Report, educators overwhelmingly agree (99%)
that reading books for fun supports students' academic success. As
the Richard M. Robinson Literacy Champion Award-winner, the School
District of Philadelphia has
selected its own General George G. Meade
School to receive the grand prize, which is designed to
help increase book access and create a lasting culture of literacy.
The school will receive:
- A school library "renovation," which includes a donation of
over 6,000 high-quality, age-appropriate books, short reads for
Guided Reading, and instructional resources from Scholastic
Education Solutions.
- A one-year site license to Scholastic Literacy Pro®, an
award-winning blended learning program that provides 24/7 access to
more than 2,500 fiction and nonfiction ebooks for purposeful
independent reading, allowing personalized student choice while
providing teachers with real-time data to inform instruction.
- Lastly, elementary students will receive books to take home and
add to their home libraries, encouraging independent reading beyond
the classroom.
"The Council is extremely grateful to Scholastic for creating
the Richard M. Robinson Literacy Champion Award that will directly
benefit an urban school," said Council Executive Director
Ray Hart. "Richard had a long
and influential history with the Council and we can think of no
better way to honor his contributions and his legacy than with this
award that will help advance the reading achievement for our urban
students. Literacy is so important to a child's future and we are
thrilled to be part of something which will give many future
generations of bright, able, and deserving young people the skills
to succeed in school and in life."
"We are honored to have General George
G. Meade School selected as the first Richard M. Robinson
Literacy Champion Award from Scholastic and the Council for the
Great City Schools," said William R.
Hite, Jr. Ed.D., Superintendent of the School District of
Philadelphia. "This generous
support will help instill a love of reading in our students by
increasing access to books, something that we know has a
longstanding impact on helping students succeed."
About Scholastic:
For more than 100 years, Scholastic
Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) has been encouraging the personal and
intellectual growth of all children, beginning with literacy.
Having earned a reputation as a trusted partner to educators and
families, Scholastic is the world's largest publisher and
distributor of children's books, a leading provider of literacy
curriculum, professional services, and classroom magazines, and a
producer of educational and entertaining children's media. The
Company creates and distributes bestselling books and e-books,
print and technology-based learning programs for pre-K to grade 12,
and other products and services that support children's learning
and literacy, both in school and at home. With 15 international
operations and exports to 165 countries, Scholastic makes quality,
affordable books available to all children around the world through
school-based book clubs and book fairs, classroom libraries, school
and public libraries, retail, and online. Learn more
at www.scholastic.com.
About the Council of the Great City Schools:
Founded
in 1956, the Council of the Great City Schools is the only national
organization exclusively representing the needs of urban public
schools. Composed of 75 large city school districts, its mission is
to promote the cause of urban schools and to advocate for
inner-city students through legislation, research and media
relations. For more information, visit www.cgcs.org.
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SOURCE Scholastic