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Scholastic Launches 'Read for Life' Campaign
Promoting Books as Source of Understanding and Comfort; Importance Of Reading with Children
Scholastic Inc. has announced the launch of a national campaign to promote reading with children as a source of understanding, comfort and connection. The ``Read for Life'' campaign, launched as a part of continuing outreach in the aftermath of September 11th, carries the message ``Read for Comfort ... Read for Closeness ... Read for Life,'' and features original artwork commissioned by Scholastic from Mary Grand Pre, well-known illustrator of the distinctive Scholastic Harry Potter books. As part of the campaign launch, national radio spots and print ads were placed beginning December 10th, addressing the importance of reading with children as a way to offer closeness and comfort.Directly after the September 11th tragedies, Scholastic mobilized all of its divisions to help address the needs of the millions of parents, teachers and children it serves in classrooms and at home. Scholastic provided a variety of resources, from financial aid for those most impacted by the attacks, to books, news magazines and online materials for parents and teachers looking for ways to help children understand and cope with the events.
In a company-wide address, Scholastic Chairman, President and CEO Dick Robinson issued a call for a slogan for a new reading campaign that would help children and their parents find hope, compassion, understanding, courage, and closeness through books. In less than a month, the company received more than 600 suggestions from Scholastic employees all over the world. Nine individuals from Missouri to Africa to Australia submitted ``Read for Life,'' and Scholastic made a $5,000 contribution in their names to the American Red Cross/Scholastic Relief Fund as part of a $350,000 total gift which combined company and employee contributions.
Grand Pre's painting for the ``Read for Life'' campaign shows the Statue of Liberty reading to a circle of children. It has been reproduced as a poster with a resource guide for parents and caregivers on how to teach children ways to cope with life's stresses using reading and books, along with suggested age-appropriate titles. Scholastic is distributing 700,000 copies of the poster and guide free of charge to school administrators, teachers, parents and caregivers through Scholastic Book Clubs and Scholastic Book Fairs, as well as through additional special mailings to schools and book sellers nationwide.
``For 81 years, Scholastic has steadfastly pursued its mission of promoting the value and joy of reading. Wonderful stories can help children understand the world, develop trust in others, and connect with loved ones,'' said Barbara Marcus, President of Children's Books, Scholastic. ``The 'Read for Comfort ... Read for Closeness ... Read for Life' campaign is designed to help caring adults understand how they can use all kinds of books and reading materials, from picture books to fantasy to non-fiction, to develop children's ability to cope when tested, and to find pleasure any time.''