[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 98 (Friday, June 28, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7326-S7327]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         MILLION PAGES PROJECT

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I rise today to commend the 
students, teachers, parents, and librarian Jeannie Riley at Meadows 
Elementary School in Huntington, WV. This group worked together in an 
outstanding effort to promote literacy through the million pages 
reading program.
  Jeannie Riley wanted to challenge students at Meadows Elementary 
School to read 1 million pages by the end of the school year. She 
worked with school administrators, teachers, and parents to provide 
creative incentives for the students to read, using activities such as 
afternoon dances and

[[Page S7327]]

the opportunity to throw pies at teachers. This innovative program 
encouraged family reading time and motivated students to read 
independently. The students enthusiastically accepted the challenge and 
worked very hard to meet their goal. They succeeded in their endeavor, 
a magnificent achievement by some motivated young people in my State.
  Mr. President, we all know reading is an essential skill that enables 
children to communicate and convey ideas more effectively. Children who 
acquire good reading skills will be better equipped to compete in 
today's dynamic world that demands an education as a pre-requisite for 
self-sufficiency and participating in a highly skilled work force. 
Illiteracy is a problem that plagues West Virginia as well as the 
Nation, and too many children reach adulthood lacking abilities they 
need for a secure future. Programs like the million pages project are 
consistent with goals set by the Department of Education. They also 
complement the goals of the National Commission on Children, a 
bipartisan group of policymakers, educators, and individuals that I led 
in looking for ways to strengthen families and better the lives of 
tomorrow's leaders.
  The million pages project is a step in the right direction, going 
beyond basic classroom instruction to develop a love of reading and 
encourage the development of these vital skills. Programs such as the 
million pages project are helping to fight the battle of illiteracy and 
giving West Virginia's children a better chance for a bright future. 
This program serves as a fine example of what happens when people come 
together to promote a worthy cause, and I hope others will learn from 
the Meadows challenge.
  Achieving this goal of 1 million pages is a great honor, and again, 
Mr. President, I sincerely congratulate the Meadows Elementary 
community. I applaud Jeannie Riley for working so hard to initiate the 
million pages project, the teachers of Meadows Elementary for embracing 
it with enthusiasm, the parents for reading to their children and 
supporting this initiative, and the students for their tremendous 
effort and persistence in reaching their goal.

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