(DURHAM, February 24, 2003) New Hampshire Public Television's Ready To Learn (RTL) service has received a $10,000 literacy grant from Verizon. The grant will enable the program to expand literacy outreach in the state. While RTL serves everyone, target populations include low-income families, those who have limited literacy, use English as a second language, have children with disabilities, or live in a rural area.Ready To Learn activities scheduled in the next several months include:Distributing, through 33 community First Book partners, more than 15,000 new books free of charge to children and families who do not have ready access to print materials (some books are available in Spanish);Developing activities to be used in conjunction with reading selected First Books;Giving a book to each family attending Family Math or Science Nights and Family Literacy Nights, to foster an understanding of how to enhance a child's learning by incorporating books, television, and hands-on activities;Providing 950 board books for infants and toddlers, to be distributed by First Book partner agencies, to encourage new parents to expose children to books and reading early in life;Presenting literacy workshops for parents, early education professionals, and other caregivers to encourage language development, reading aloud, storytelling, and positive use of media;Carrying out Project Storytime, an extended literacy project for incarcerated parents at the Lakes Region Correctional Facility in Laconia; andDeveloping a literacy program to encourage teen parents to read aloud to their children."As community agencies struggle with limited budgets, there is a growing demand for books to reach out to our target populations," observes RTL Coordinator Pat VanWagoner. "A child who knows how to read probably won't be left behind. Verizon's generosity ensures that NHPTV can help by providing books and other resources to families in need."Erle Pierce, Verizon's Director of Public Affairs in New Hampshire, notes, "Introducing young people early to the world of books is so important to their long-term development. This is just the type of worthwhile project the Verizon Foundation seeks to support."Beyond its award-winning local and national television programs, NHPTV provides instructional services for 220,000 students from kindergarten through high school; airs Ready To Learn programs for children, preschool to age 12; and provides professional development programs and advanced technology training for parents, educators and child-care providers in New Hampshire and neighboring states. For more information about NHPTV programs that entertain, educate and enrich, visit www.nhptv.org.
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