One of my first jobs as a teenager was reading to children during Story Hour at the public library in my hometown of Caribou. I learned at an early age that encouraging children to read is an investment in our children's education and, ultimately, an investment in the future of our country. That is why I have made it a priority, since coming to the U.S. Senate in 1997, to support funding for reading programs and to visit as many schools as I can throughout our state to read to as many children as possible.
To date, I have visited 166 schools and have had the wonderful opportunity to share some of my favorite books with thousands of children. I often read books by Maine authors, like Antlers Forever by Frances Bloxam, Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney, and The Sea Chest by Toni Buzzeo. The words and illustrations in these books are wonderful, but reading books by Maine authors also helps show students that they too can grow up to write books. Taking the time to read to children is not only a worthwhile investment but also a rewarding experience.
Once again this year, the Senate has unanimously approved a resolution that I introduced with Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island declaring March 2nd as national "Read Across America Day." The resolution encourages parents to read to their children for at least 30 minutes every day. It is a resolution that I have been pleased to sponsor and support in past years in order to call attention to this worthwhile effort. The date was chosen because it is the birthday of one of America's favorite children's book authors - Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known to the world as Dr. Seuss.
On Read Across America Day, teachers, librarians, celebrities, parents, grandparents, and others develop and participate in reading motivation and awareness activities in towns across the country. The goal of the national Read Across America program is to bring reading excitement to children of all ages. As an education organization has pointed out, "Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school."
The importance of this day is underscored by the challenge it addresses. Our nation has a well-documented literacy problem. It is estimated that seven million Americans are illiterate, and 27 million are unable to read well enough to complete a simple job application. For children who reach the third grade without the ability to read, every assignment in the classroom is a struggle. These students constantly battle embarrassment and feelings of inadequacy and fear. Simply put, children without basic reading skills are at a greater risk of losing their natural curiosity and excitement for learning.
Read Across America Day is the largest reading event in the United States and is celebrating its 12th anniversary this year. There are many available resources to help schools, teachers, and parents highlight this day through activities such as read-aloud events, book parties, Dr. Seuss games, and read-a-thons.
But capturing the spirit of this special day can be achieved through a simple act: spending 30 minutes of your time each day to enlarge a child's world through a book. It is my hope that Read Across America will continue to encourage families to get into a daily practice of reading to their children and helping them enjoy the magic of books.
I applaud schoolteachers, librarians, and most of all, parents, for their commitment to teaching America's children the joys of reading as we celebrate "Read Across America" every day.