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Ken Darby
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May 06, 1998
First Union Partners with Smart Start to Expand "Read Aloud" Program Statewide
Initiative Promotes the Importance of Early Childhood Literacy and Intervention
CHARLOTTE - First Union - North Carolina president Mac Everett joined Gov. Jim Hunt today to announce the statewide expansion of First Union's "Read Aloud Partners" program. First Union working with Smart Start, North Carolina's early childhood intervention initiative, will read and donate books to over 3,400 North Carolina pre-kindergarten children.
First Union is committed to education, particularly in getting kids ready to go to school and making sure they're prepared to learn once they get there," said Everett. "The governor's Smart Start program is a great vehicle for our efforts to reach pre-kindergarten children."
In 1997-98, First Union employees donated over 1,300 hours to the "Read Aloud" program. Each week, volunteers read aloud to a classroom of 4-year old children, as part of Charlotte-Mecklenberg School District's pre-kindergarten program. The project promotes the importance of early childhood literacy. First Union purchased a total of 1,380 high-quality children's books for the volunteers to read and then donate to the classrooms.
Local Smart Start partnerships and First Union employees across the state will combine their resources to expand the "Read Aloud" program in every county where the company is based.
Smart Start is a public-private partnership to help all North Carolina children enter school healthy and ready to succeed. The program focuses on the following core services: creating high quality, affordable child care; expanding accessibility of child care; preventive health care and intervention; and family support services like family resource centers and information for parents. In 1995, First Union made a $2 million commitment over a 10 year period to the Smart Start initiative.
"We are always looking for new and innovative ways to enhance our education system," stated Everett. "Combining First Union's successful involvement with Smart Start and Read Aloud Partners was a natural way to expand our efforts in early childhood literacy."
Since Gov. Hunt launched Smart Start in 1993, more than 50,000 children have received child care subsidies so their parents can work; more than 97,000 children have received early intervention and preventive health screenings; and more than 100,000 children are in child care programs that have been improved through Smart Start grants. Currently, Smart Start is providing services in 55 North Carolina counties, and the remaining 45 counties are planning for services this year.
The "Read Aloud Partners" program is one component of First Union's partnership with Smart Start and its expanded efforts to support early childhood literacy efforts. The company is also developing parent education kits for its employees along with an intranet site which will include detailed information about early learning and brain development.
The program will encourage First Union parents to read to their own children and will also offer expanded volunteer opportunities for employees. The intranet site will be linked with the Smart Start web site to provide both educational and volunteer opportunities for First Union employees.
At First Union, employees are given four hours a month paid leave to volunteer in schools. In North Carolina, 6,318 employees contributed 187,853 hours as tutors, mentors and aides to local schools and education programs.
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NOTE TO EDITORS: Governor Jim Hunt and First Union-North Carolina president Mac Everett will read children's books to a group of 4-year olds at the Plaza Road Pre-kindergarten Center - 1000 Anderson Street, Charlotte beginning at 2:00 p.m. Reporters are welcome at the reading session and press conference.
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