Center to Distribute Dr. Seuss Reading Kits to Black Belt Schools

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development, along with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, is promoting the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day by providing Dr. Seuss-themed reading kits to 23 schools in eight counties within the Black Belt region.

Read Across America Day, an annual reading motivation and awareness program, is Friday, March 2 — the birthday of Dr. Seuss. Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries and community centers bring together kids, teens and books.

To help the Black Belt region take part in the celebration, reading kits composed of classic Dr. Seuss books, stickers, bookmarks and pencils will be delivered to 23 schools in the region. UACED and ACES are providing the reading kits as part of the 13th Annual Books for the Alabama Black Belt campaign.

The goal of the Books for the Alabama Black Belt campaign is to provide one book for every child in the Black Belt; there are more than 42,000 children in the 13 counties of the Black Belt.

Schools and counties to which reading kits are to be delivered:

• Choctaw County: Choctaw County Elementary, Southern Choctaw Elementary.
• Greene County: Eutaw Primary School, Robert Brown Middle School.
• Hale County: Moundville Elementary School, Greensboro Elementary School.
• Marengo County: Sweetwater High School, Marengo High School, Westside Elementary School, U.S. Jones Elementary School, Linden Elementary School.
• Pickens County: Gordo Elementary School, Reform Elementary School, Aliceville Elementary School.
• Perry County: Robert C. Hatch K-12, Francis Marion K-12.
• Sumter County: Livingston Junior High, North Sumter Junior High School, Kinterbish Junior High School, York West End Junior High School.
• Wilcox County: F.S. Ervin Elementary School, J.E. Hobbs Elementary School, ABC Elementary School.

Founded in 1987, The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development serves as a gateway to technical assistance resources at The University of Alabama. Through the utilization of professional staff and customized project teams, the center assists communities, agencies and organizations to take an “asset based” planning approach to economic development opportunities. One of center’s goals is to address economic development needs of rural and urban communities throughout Alabama.