Congressman Henry Cuellar today was on hand to present more than 2,200 books to students at Cuellar Elementary School as part of the school's participation in the Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) program. RIF, which is mostly underwritten by the U.S. Department of Education, is aimed at preparing and motivating children to read by awarding free books and literary resources to students and families who need them the most.
Through the efforts of Congressman Cuellar and other federal representatives from the Rio Grande Valley, the South Texas Literacy Coalition was formed and helped expand literary resources in South Texas and Region One, ESC. Currently, there are 43 schools in Region One participating in the program, two of those being in Laredo -- Cuellar and Newman Elementary Schools. RIF serves 130,000 children in Region One, with approximately 1,500 of those students coming from both schools in Laredo.
"Education always has been one of my top priorities and I will continue doing everything I can to ensure that our students have all the necessary tools they need to succeed," said Congressman Cuellar. "It is through programs like RIF that a lot of our students receive opportunities they would normally not have."
It is estimated that more than 420,000 books will be distributed this year to schools participating in Region One RIF's program, which includes school districts from Laredo to Brownsville in cities near and along the Rio Grande River. Nationwide, RIF provides 14 million new books to 4.5 million children each year.
All RIF programs combine three essential elements to foster literacy: reading motivation, family and community involvement, and the excitement of children choosing their books to keep. RIF's accomplishments and successes are also credited to the generosity of corporations, foundations, and community organizations. For more information or participate in RIF, please call Diana Padilla, Senior Support Program Coordinator for South Texas, Region One, ESC, at 956-984-6073.
Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the House Homeland Security, Small Business, and Agriculture Committees in the 110th Congress; accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Senior Whip.
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