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TALLAHASSEE – Florida’s First Lady Ann Scott today took the Summer Literacy
Adventure away from the hot summer sun and into the beautiful, serene caverns of
Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna to encourage children to explore nature’s
gift and read over the summer. Mrs. Scott was joined by representatives of the
Florida Department of Education (DOE), Florida Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) and the Florida Department of State (DOS) in advancing the
literacy skills of students in the surrounding Jackson County region during the
summer break.
“Reading is essential to a child’s development and the Summer Literacy
Adventure is a great way to engage a child’s mind,” said First Lady Ann Scott.
“Writing, creativity, vocabulary, rhythm and repetition are all skills you
develop from reading, and having a mysterious backdrop like the Marianna Caverns
offers an exciting venue that can further develop a child’s imagination and
amplify reading and literacy skills for their future academic success.”
Students can visit the Just Read, Florida! website at
www.justreadflorida.com to
participate in the Summer Literacy Adventure. A select school with the most
participating students taking the pledge in the Adventure will be recognized
during the 2011-12 school year, with all of its students winning a one-day pass
to any Florida State Park.
“Florida Caverns State Park is a great place to visit and bring your reading
adventure to life,” said Florida State Parks Director Donald V. Forgione. “The
Summer Literacy Adventure is a great reason to visit Florida’s state parks where
kids of all ages can learn about Florida amongst its most pristine natural and
cultural resources.”
Any student who takes the pledge may also utilize a free online tool to
search for books based on reading ability and interests. The DOE, through
MetaMetrics, offers a unique resource called “Find a Book, Florida” at
http://florida.lexile.com that uses
Lexile® measures, a widely adopted reading metric that can guide a reader to an
appropriate level book. Each year, more than 30 million Lexile measures are
reported from reading assessments and programs—representing over half of U.S.
students.
The DOS also encourages students to read, and local public libraries
throughout the state host a variety of programs during the summer to promote
reading. The Jackson County Public Library staff was also on hand to share
information on DOS’s Florida Library Youth Program, which enables participants
of all ages to enjoy fun activities, special guest performances, presentations,
crafts and more at various public libraries. Information on the locations of
public libraries in Florida can be found at www.fllibraries.org.
For more information on Florida’s State Parks, visit
www.FloridaStateParks.org,
www.twitter.com/FLStateParks
and www.facebook.com/FLStateParks.
To participate in the Summer Literacy Adventure, visit
www.justreadflorida.com. |
2012 State of Florida