UNM
supports reading program
By Laurie
Mellas-Ramirez
More
than 375 children participated in a pilot Summer Reading Program
sponsored by the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, KNME-TV
Ready to Learn Program, UNM Athletic Department and the Albuquerque
Business Education Compact (ABEC).
The program
was held at 33 recreation sites, including city/county community
centers, playground programs and Boys and Girls Clubs.
Children
who read six books received a book from the KNME-TV Ready to
Learn program and two tickets to a UNM Lobo volleyball or soccer
game. Books and tickets were distributed in July.
Susan Solomon,
director of the Heights Community Center in Southeast Albuquerque,
said the 11 children ages 6-16 who took part in the program
benefited from the experience.
The
program helped us find out who has reading problems so we could
help, Solomon said. Many of our parents cant
afford to take their kids to a Lobo game. It was a good incentive
to read.
Wolf Scott,
10, a fourth grader at Monte Vista Elementary, said he read
more than a half-dozen books including, Pinocchio,
and The Gingerbread Man. He chose the adventure
story 2099 as his free selection from KNME-TV.
I
think it was cool, Scott said. A lot of kids didnt
read, but 10 other kids did. I would do it again next year.