Lt. Gov. Mark Schweiker, State Representative Fred McIlhattan, John Bragg of Bell Atlantic, and Dr. Barbara Grugel talk about the Clarion University Children's Choice Book Awards.
| Lt. Gov. Mark Schweiker, State Representative Fred McIlhattan, John Bragg of Bell Atlantic, and Dr. Barbara Grugel talk about the Clarion University Children's Choice Book Awards. |
Bell-Atlantic of Pennsylvania has agreed to sponsor the Clarion University of Pennsylvania "Children's Choice Book Awards" with a contribution of $2,500.
As part of the "Children's Choice Book Awards" agreement, participants are required to raise local funds to complete other phases of the project. The Clarion University Foundation established the tax exempt "The Children's Book Award" account for this purpose.
"Rep. McIlhattan heard about the program and contacted Bell Atlantic to see if they would be interested in being a sponsor," explains Dr. Barbara Grugel, associate professor of education and director of the program. "John Bragg of Bell Atlantic contacted us and after receiving an explanation of the project requested to be our featured sponsor."
Bragg, director of community relations for Bell Atlantic, presented the check during a ceremony also attended by Clarion University President Diane L. Reinhard, Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Mark Schweiker, Clarion University Vice President for Advancement Harry Tripp, McIlhattan, and Grugel.
Bell Atlantic is also funds several other education initiatives including Link-to-Learn, Intermediate Units distance learning projects, and the Institute for the Clarion University based Development of Information Technology in Rural Communities directed by Dr. Bernard Vavrek, professor of library science.
The real benefactors of this effort will be the students of the area. Nearly 8,000 children's books valued at $80,000 will flow through Clarion University to four area school districts over the next two years as part of the program for students to select the nation's best new books for children. Clarion University is one of five sites selected across the nation for the "Children's Choice Book Awards," a national program allowing school children from different regions of the United States, ranging in age from five to 13, to vote for their favorites from among recently published children's books. Books provided by the program will be given to Clarion Area, Keystone, North Clarion, and Redbank Valley School Districts through Clarion University.
Grugel was one of five persons nationwide selected to be a "Children's Choices" team leader for the 1997-98 and 1998-99 test cycles. The awards are sponsored by a joint committee of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the Children's Book Council (CBC).