Hooked on Phonics
On Thursday, August 30, 2007, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn will promote youth literacy by joining representatives of Hooked on Phonics at Crispus Attucks School, 3813 S. Dearborn St. in Chicago as the company presents $100,000 worth of interactive learning kits to Chicago schools, after-school programs and literacy organizations.
�There is no skill more important than reading,� Quinn said. �Readers are leaders. The ability to read well is the key to unlocking a child�s potential and creating a bright future. As Abraham Lincoln once said: `Get the books, and read and study them �till you understand them � that is the main thing.��
Hooked on Phonics is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a national 10-city tour honoring Literacy Leaders � individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to childhood education.
As part of the celebration, the company is donating more than $1 million in award-winning Hooked on Phonics interactive learning materials to schools and non-profit literacy organizations. Those include First Book, a not-for-profit national organization that gives new, age-appropriate books to children from low-income families.
In Chicago, Hooked on Phonics will present 1,500 learning kits to Fresh Start Elementary Schools, CharitaBulls/NBA Read to Achieve, the Charles Tillman Cornerstone Foundation, the Chicago Bears outreach programs and the First Lady�s Children�s Reading Club. The donation will help thousands of Chicago students build the reading skills they need to succeed academically, the company said.
�It is a great thing to set children on the path toward lifelong reading,� said Quinn. �I salute Hooked on Phonics for celebrating its 20th anniversary by making this generous gift to the children of Chicago.�