AASL NEWS
For Immediate Release
July 2, 2003
Contact: Keidra Chaney
Phone: 312-280-4381
Fax: 312-664-7459
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) 2002-2003 President Nancy Zimmerman has selected Mrs. Rachel Hodges, former First Lady of South Carolina, and Scholastic, Inc. as recipients of the AASL Crystal Apple Award. The award is given at discretion of the AASL President to an individual or group who had a significant impact on school libraries and students.
Rachel Hodges launched the "Reading with Rachel" program in 1999 to help instill a love of reading in South Carolina's children. During her tenure as First Lady, Mrs. Hodges visited over 250 classrooms in the state and distributed over 300,000 books, donated by 18 publishers and selected by state educators, to student and school libraries in South Carolina.
Adult and youth volunteer groups called "Rachel's Readers" were established in 2000 to expand the popular initiative. The adult volunteer readers adopt schools and read for them each month, and present the school media center with copies of the "Reading with Rachel" Book of the Month. The youth volunteers, includes teen Girl and Boy Scouts, present scripted reading programs in school libraries, public libraries, after-school programs, and day care centers.
Scholastic, Inc. has supported Mrs. Hodges' vision by donating over 6,000 books that have been distributed directly to the children of South Carolina by "Rachel's Readers" Youth Volunteers.
The awards were presented at the AASL Awards Luncheon on June 23, 2003 at the ALA Annual Conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Information about other AASL awards presented at the ALA 2003 Annual Conference is available on the AASL Web site at <www.ala.org/aasl/awards>.
The American Association of School Librarians is a division of the American Library Association (ALA). AASL promotes the improvement and extension of library media services in elementary and secondary schools as a means of strengthening the total educational program. Its mission is to advocate excellence, facilitate change and develop leaders in the school library media field.