Bell Atlantic Co-Sponsors Read-a-thon to Improve Literacy, Encourage Reading

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 24, 1996size = +1>

What:

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), in
partnership with Bell Atlantic and other sponsors, is
hosting a one-day, state-wide Read-a-thon. The event
will highlight the announcement of a new statewide
program called "Minds Across Maryland."

Why:

Minds Across Maryland is designed to encourage children
to read by involving parents and the community in
reading to and with children; building a partnership
modeled on Bell Atlantic's "Book 'Em" program,
in
which Bell Atlantic Telephone Pioneers and other
employees read to children in schools throughout
Maryland; and distributing 40,000 books and 40,000
newspapers to disadvantaged children in Maryland.

Where:

Primary media event:

Park Elementary School

201 East 11th Avenue (Brooklyn)

Baltimore, MD 21225

410-222-6593/6595 (NOTE: See attachment for
directions)

Other Read-a-thon events:

Ninety-six elementary and middle schools in 24 local
school systems throughout the state of Maryland.

(NOTE: See attachment for additional
Read-a-thon
locations.)

When:

Thursday, April 25, 1996

Park Elementary School: 11 a.m.

Other Maryland schools: 10 a.m. to noon, depending on
the individual school and volunteer readers.

Who:

Governor Parris Glendening; State Superintendent of
Schools Nancy Grasmick; Maryland Delegate Joan Cadden;
Bell Atlantic - Maryland President Dan Whelan; Bell
Atlantic External Affairs Vice President John Dillon;
Fox 45 News Anchor Tony Harris; Diamond Comic Books
President Steve Geppi; NYLCARE CEO Jeff Emerson,
Scholastic, Inc.; Senior Vice President Ernie
Fleishman, and representatives from The Baltimore
Sun,
NationsBank, the AmeriCorps Program and others.

Contact:

Bell Atlantic: Michel Daley, 202-392-1021

MSDE, Darla Strouse, 410-767-0369