In addition to the Whitney Ranch location, nearly 1,000 children throughout Henderson will participate in the effort at the Silver Springs, Black Mountain and Henderson Multigenerational Recreation Centers to participate.

Mayor Gibson encouraged readers of all ages to register at www.readfortherecord.org and sign up to read the campaign’s official book, The Little Engine That Could.

ABOUT JUMPSTART’S READ FOR THE RECORD:
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record Campaign serves to raise awareness about the early education crisis, provide effective tools to address this crisis, and increase support for Jumpstart’s important work. Through this Campaign, Jumpstart and its partners – including Starbucks, Pearson, Penguin (USA), American Eagle and the Corporation for National and Community Service – will further their national impact by inviting adults across America to read with young children and set the world record for the number of children reading the same book in a single day with an adult. The record-setting day: August 24, 2006… The record-setting book: The Little Engine That Could. Children and adults will set the record by registering for the event (at www.readfortherecord.org) and reading in their own homes or at one of the  many community events held nationwide – in Starbucks stores, shopping malls, public libraries, parks and other venues.

ABOUT JUMPSTART:
Jumpstart is a national early education organization that works toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. Through extraordinary attention in yearlong one-to-one relationships, Jumpstart inspires children to learn, adults to teach, families to get involved, and communities to progress together. Headquartered in Boston, Jumpstart pairs 2,500 trained adults one-to-one with preschool children in need of assistance. During the 2005-2006 program year, Jumpstart served 10,000 children in 60 communities across 22 states, in partnership with 225 Head Start and other early learning centers across the country. Jumpstart’s national sponsors include American Eagle Outfitters, AmeriCorps, Pearson, and Starbucks. Jumpstart is the recipient of the Fast Company/Monitor Social Capitalist Award (2004, 2005 and 2006) and the Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy’s Directors Award. For more information, visit the Jumpstart Web site at www.jstart.org. For more information about Jumpstart’s Read for the Record campaign, visit www.readfortherecord.org.