New York, NY (August 28, 2006) -- A recent study shows that California’s workforce demographics are quickly changing and the future of the state’s economy will rely heavily on ensuring a well-educated Latino population . Understanding that this is an issue schools cannot address alone and that there is a need for innovative solutions to engage families and communities, local leaders from the education, business, nonprofit, legislative, and media sectors will engage in a citywide dialogue on the need to improve Latino educational attainment and explore community-based solutions. The dialogue is being held as part of the San Jose launch of Lee y serás® (Read and You Will Be), a Latino early literacy initiative, led nationally by Scholastic, National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and Verizon Foundation, that empowers families and community leaders to foster children's early literacy development. Grail Family Services, with funding support from the Community Foundation Silicon Valley, will help bring Lee y serás to local families in San José. 
 
Panelists at the September 8th invitation-only breakfast event include Veronica Goei, author of the Lee y serás curriculum and Executive Director of Grail Family Services (GFS), Dr. Guadalupe Valdés, Professor, Stanford University School of Education, Rosa Pérez, Chancellor, San Jose Evergreen Community College District, Patty Nation of the Xilinx Corporation’s Community Relations Division and Rosa Molina, Associate Superintendent of the San Jose Unified School District. Telemundo 48 News Anchor Celina Rodriguez will moderate the panel and Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez will provide closing remarks. The event will be held from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in the Second Floor meeting suites of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, 150 E. San Fernando Street, San José.
 
Fifty two percent of working-age Latinos in California lack a high school degree  and unless something is done, the numbers are likely to continue to increase. Latino children, the state’s largest youth population, are performing well below national standards, and indicators of reading difficulty are evident even before children enter kindergarten. Fifty-four percent of third graders in the San José school district score below the national median in reading, and, in some neighborhoods, 75% of the children can’t read at grade level . Currently, Latino 4 year-olds tend to be less able to perform such basic tasks as writing their first name or recognizing the letters of the alphabet than their counterparts from other groups.  Studies show that this early literacy skill gap hinders academic achievement throughout a child’s education.
 
“Grail Family Services is the ideal organization to bring Lee y serás to our community,” said Peter Hero, President, Community Foundation Silicon Valley.  “They have a solid track record of addressing low literacy levels in San Jose and providing quality programs and support services to empower and working families. The Community Foundation is delighted to support them in this effort.”
 
Lee y serás takes a multi-faceted approach to improving early literacy development among Latino children.  The program includes a dynamic, multi-media toolkit for community organizations, workshops for parents and caregivers, training for community leaders to support and advocate for Latino children, and online resources to engage families and communities nationwide.  Lee y serás emphasizes learning, culture and family, and demonstrates how everyday at-home activities such as singing, cooking and storytelling help young children develop early language skills. 
 
“Scholastic has an 85-year legacy of helping address the learning needs of all children and creating Lee y serás is part of that commitment” said Teresa Mlawer, President of Lectorum Publications, a division of Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company.  “Lee y serás recognizes that Latino culture is rich with literacy-building traditions such as storytelling, poetry and song. The initiative builds upon the inherent strengths of Latino families and helps them realize that they can help their children become successful in school and life.”  
 
Lee y serás in San Jose
With support from the Community Foundation Silicon Valley, Grail Family Services (GFS) will serve as the lead organization to bring Lee y serás to San José.  GFS has already trained ten area community organizations on the implementation of the Lee y serás Family Conversations curriculum.  The organizations in turn will provide training and resources to the families that they serve.  The program also includes significant book distributions and the Lee y serás caravan will travel to program sites offering fun literacy building activities for children and families alike. 
 
“Grail Family Services’ mission is to improve the lives of families with young children,” said Veronica Goei, Executive Director, Grail Family Services.  “Lee y serás will help us further accomplish this goal because it acknowledge that parents are an important part of the solution and encourages them to use their  own culture and traditions, to better ensure that their children are successful in school and life.” 
 
About Lee y serás
Lee y serás® is a national Latino early literacy initiative that empowers and engages families and communities to foster children’s literacy development. By providing research-based, in-culture, and bilingual curricula and materials for families, childcare providers and leaders, the program's goal is to create long-term attitudinal and behavioral change in an effort to help close the education achievement gap. Created by and for the community, the initiative is a collaboration of Scholastic, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and Verizon.  For more information visit www.leeyseras.net.
 
About Scholastic
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology.  Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys.  The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company's Internet site, www.scholastic.com.
 
About the National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) – the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States – works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.   Through its network of more than 300 affiliated community-based organizations (CBOs) NCLR reaches millions of Hispanics each year in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.  To achieve its mission, NCLR conducts applied research, policy analysis, and advocacy, providing a Latino perspective in five key areas – assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education, employment and economic status, and health.  In addition, NCLR provides capacity-building assistance to its affiliates who work at the state and local level to advance opportunities for individuals and families. Founded in 1968, NCLR is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization. Headquartered in Washington, DC, NCLR serves all Hispanic subgroups in all regions of the country.  NCLR has operations in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org.
 
About The Verizon Foundation
The Verizon Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications.  In 2004, the foundation awarded more than 26,000 grants totaling over $70 million to charitable and nonprofit agencies that focus on improving literacy, computer and technology skills, and identifying domestic violence solutions. The foundation uses its resources in the United States and abroad to develop partnerships in technology and connect them with organizations serving the needs of diverse communities, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence, and the economically and socially disadvantaged.  The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that last year encouraged Verizon employees to volunteer 528,000 hours in their communities and provided $37.6 million in combined contributions to charitable and nonprofit organizations. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation. 
 
With more than $71 billion in annual revenues, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world’s leading providers of communications services.  Verizon has a diverse work force of more than 214,000 in four business units:  Domestic Telecom provides customers based in 28 states with wireline and other telecommunications services, including broadband.  Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation’s most reliable wireless network, serving 47.4 million voice and data customers across the United States.  Information Services operates directory publishing businesses and provides electronic commerce services.  International includes wireline and wireless operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.
 
About Grail Family Services
Grail Family Services (GFS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, fosters learning and the empowerment of vulnerable families with young children through the delivery of programs that educate, develop leadership skills, and build a sense of community. To carry out its work, GFS implements innovative and results-oriented services with a focus on literacy, adult education, and leadership development.  For more information visit www.gfsfamilyservices.org. 
 
About Community Foundation Silicon Valley
Innovative and entrepreneurial philanthropy are the hallmark of Community Foundation Silicon Valley. Created in 1954 with $55,000 left in the War Chest from World War II, CFSV today manages more than 650 individual, family and corporate funds, as well as nonprofit endowments. Much of CFSV’s growth came in the past 20 years: In 1990, assets totaled $9 million. Today, they total $919 million.  CFSV partners with more than 25 Valley corporations, 10 supporting foundations, and more than 650 families and individuals to manage their philanthropic giving.  CFSV’s innovative programs include the Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2) giving circle, groundbreaking research on philanthropy and civic engagement, and community initiatives including Young Readers-Future Readers, Advancing the Arts, and the HP Nonprofit Leadership Initiative.  On July 12, 2006, the boards of Peninsula Community Foundation and Community Foundation Silicon Valley voted unanimously to merge into one united foundation serving the area. The new foundation, to be named Silicon Valley Community Foundation, will be a catalyst for inspired philanthropy and community engagement serving all of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.  To find out more, visit www.siliconvalleycf.org.

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