Readers Day expects 400

The Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce is finalizing plans for National Young Readers Day.

The Education Committee is recruiting readers to participate in Readers Day on Nov. 10.

The goal is to send more than 400 adult readers to 28 elementary schools throughout Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park to read to more than 17,000 schoolchildren.

Readers Day is an annual event designed to promote reading among elementary school children. By provid-ing positive adult role models, students learn that reading is both a skill that is vital for future success and an enjoyable pastime.

Members of the committee have been working since August to recruit volunteers and coordinate the event with each school reading specialist. The committee has added five more schools this year.

"Celebrity" readers have been scheduled for most schools.  Manassas City Manager Larry Hughes is planning to read to children at George C. Round Elementary school in Manassas and both Gail Pope, Manassas school superintendent, Christina Frank, wife of Hughes, will lend a hand at Jennie Dean Elementary School in Manassas. Uncle Slam, mascot of the Potomac Nationals baseball team, will enter-tain children at Marshall Elementary School in Manassas.

Many local businesses and organizations, such as Bookworm Central, Lockheed Martin MS2 Undersea Systems, Micron Technology Virginia, the Prince William Chapter of the American Red Cross and Syn-ergy One Federal Credit Union, have recruited teams of employees to read at various schools.

Members of the Chamber's Young Professionals of Northern Virginia will read for the students of Cougar Elementary School in Manassas Park and Nicole Wilfong with the Manassas Museum will arrive in a Civil War- period costume to read to students at Mayfield Intermediate School in Manassas.

Developmental English students from the Manassas Campus of Northern Virginia Community College will sharpen their skills by reading to students at Mullen and Sudley elementary schools in Manassas, and read-ers from the Woodbridge campus will tackle Martin Luther King Jr. and Fannie W. Fitzgerald elementary schools.

Local high school students are also volunteering to participate. Future Business Leaders of America club members from Stonewall Jackson High School have volunteered to read at Ellis and West Gate elementary schools in Manassas and the high school's Family, Career & Community Leaders of America club members will participate at Victory Elementary School in Bristow.

Osbourn Park's FBLA Club will entertain children at Signal Hill Elementary School in Manassas and the Key Clubs from Brentsville District and Osbourn high schools will read at Nokesville and Baldwin elementary schools.

For more information on the program call Carroll at 703-396-1559.

Staff writer Bennie Scarton Jr. can be reached at 703-369-6707.