The purpose of the reading program must be to bring children and books together and to develop life-long reading habits in children. Be sure to include your mailing address. The winner will be notified by February 2002. Participants in this program are young adults in grades 7-12 who perform for preschool and elementary age children and their families. Members meet weekly to develop original productions for children that dramatize a variety of stories from both current and classic picture books, fairy tales and poetry collections.
Teens meet for the purpose of encouraging younger children to get excited about reading.
Together they explore children's literature and then become fully involved in the creative process of bringing selected stories to life on the stage. Members of the award committee cited teen involvement in the library, the development of positive teen role models for children and the broad selection of literature featured to be among the high points of this program. The award is made possible through an annual grant from the Econo-Clad Books Company, a division of the American Companies.