FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Coalition continues in the Celebration of Literacy Week!
Clearwater, Fla.  (January 27, 2015)  This week marks the eighth annual Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida!, a statewide event held each year to promote the importance of literacy. The Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County is celebrating literacy by hosting special guest readers all week at various early learning sites. Guest readers include local business and nonprofit executives, elected officials first responders and even some local celebrities!
From Left: Tampa Bay Rowdie's Frankie Sanfilippo; Charlene Cobb, Sunstar EMS; Local actress/House Rep. Dwight Dudley's wife, Mary Rachel Dudley; Rachell Merza, Scholastic; Jim Myer, Crown Cars; and Chief Daniel Slaughter, Clearwater Police Department. 

The Coalition will end the week of special guests on Friday, January 29 with St. Petersburg's Mayor Rick Kriseman and Deputy Mayor Dr. Kanika Tomalin, a member of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department and the Palm Harbor Fire Department. Any media interested in covering this event, please contact Matt Spence, Director of Planning and Development at 727-400-4430 or 727-303-8814.
 
Designated by the Florida Department of Education, the Just Read, Florida! Office, and in partnership with Florida's Office of Early Learning, Literacy Week is a statewide event held each year to promote the importance of early literacy experiences.  The Just Read, Florida! office takes "the opportunity during the week to encourage students to keep reading and improving their skills.  Students, teachers, administrators, parents and volunteers all celebrate the tremendous success Florida's students have accomplished.

 
About the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas
The Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County, Inc. works to ensure programs and services are available to assist young children during their formative years by administering Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program and School Readiness Scholarships. Florida's VPK program is free for all children who are four-years-old. School Readiness Scholarships provide assistance for low-income working families by paying a portion of the child care costs on a sliding fee scale. To learn more about the Coalition, please visit www.elcpinellas.net

For more information or to participate in Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida, please visit:  http://www.elcpinellas.net/donate  
For more information about Where the Wild Things Are, please Click Here

The Early Learning Coalition is now accepting donations to buy discounted books from Scholastic, which will be used in our literacy programs this year. For more information on how to donate, visit www.scholastic.com/elcpinellas.

Contact: Matt Spence  |  Direct: 727-400-4430  |  mspence@elcpinellas.net