Children and adults in the Cayman Islands are being encouraged to read the same book on the same day as part of an international reading campaign.
From left: Linburgh Martin, Managing Director at Close Brothers, Sheraim Mascal, parent of George Town Primary student, and Diego Concha, General Manager of the Hyatt Beach Suites. Photo: Submitted |
Jumpstart, a US non-profit organisation, aims to generate public awareness of literacy issues by creating the largest ‘shared reading experience’. Its Read for the Record campaign takes place 20 September, when participants will read the same book, The Story of Ferdinand.
The goal is to break the record set on a single day last year, when 150,000 people read the same book across the US as part of Jumpstart’s Read for the Record inaugural campaign. The event raised more than $500,000 to support the organisation’s early education work in low-income communities within North America.
In Cayman, the event will be held at the George Town Primary School Library at 2pm. The Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman and Close Brothers (Cayman) Limited have joined forces to support the campaign.
‘When our corporate office told us about the programme, we were thrilled with the idea,’ said Diego Concha, General Manager at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman. ‘Illiteracy is a global issue and although we live in a country that is considered a premier financial centre and travel destination we cannot ignore the importance of reading and high literacy rates on our Islands.
‘This is why we felt it relevant and important to have a collaborative effort with Close Brothers – a leading financial institution that is also passionate about the development of our young people – to Jumpstart Reading for the Record.’
Jumpstart is focused on intervening early in the lives of at-risk children, through intensive early education programmes.
FYI
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record participants can purchase this year’s official campaign book, The Story of Ferdinand, at Toys ‘R’ Us and American Eagle Outfitters stores, through Hanna Andersson’s website and retail stores, or online at www.readfortherecord.org.
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