[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 30 (Tuesday, March 11, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E432-E433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    LONG BEACH AUTHORS FESTIVAL--A MODEL FOR OTHER CITIES TO FOLLOW

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                           HON. STEPHEN HORN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 11, 1997

  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Long Beach Authors 
Festival. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, this highly 
successful program was founded by Long Beach high school teacher Joan 
Hansen.
  Ms. Hansen started by bringing authors on campus to speak and 
interact with students. Authors would describe the writing process and 
students became motivated to read the author's book, leading to other 
books. From this beginning, the program has grown to reach every school 
in the Long Beach Unified School District--every child, from 
kindergarten to 12th grade, is reached. To prepare for the Authors 
Festival, teachers and librarians will have devised reading and writing 
activities to prepare their students: Reading their author's books, 
illustrating favorite scenes, outlining questions to be asked, and 
writing poems or proclamations of welcome for their authors.
  This year, 104 authors are involved in the program, making a total of 
118 visits to the

[[Page E433]]

school district. At the March 19 anniversary celebration, 15 authors 
will be honored who have been with the program from the start. They 
are: Caroline Arnold, Virginia Bradley, Terry Dunnahoo, Ella Thorp 
Ellis, John Gardiner, Laura Glusha, Marilyn Gould, Shirely Gordon, 
Monica Gunning, Betty Hager, Lael Littke, Ed Radlauer, Ruth Radlauer, 
Susan Goldman Rubin, Alice Schertle, Yetta Speevak, and Martha Tolles.
  The Authors Festival is a model of an effective collaboration with 
the public schools, the libraries, and public spirited community 
organizations. It is also an example of a true grassroots, low-budget 
program. Funding comes from local organizations and local arts 
councils. In Long Beach, the Public Corporation for the Arts is a 
contributor. Every PTA organization in the district contributes to the 
festival, no matter how small the donation. Local families host the 
authors overnight. Private schools participate in the program as well.
  The popularity and effectiveness of this program is beginning to 
spread. The festival has inspired others in the region, from Orange 
County to Los Angeles County. The city of Downey will be hosting its 
Second Authors Festival on April 15. In addition to each school's 
contribution, the Downey Unified School District provided an additional 
$200 to each school to buy the authors' books. The Downey Public 
Library also sells the books, hosts the authors for book signings, and 
personal autographs for the students, and facilitates one-on-one 
discussions with the new fans.
  The Authors Festival is a winner of the prestigious ``Golden Bell 
Award'' from the California State School Boards Association. Ms. 
Hansen, who in addition to founding the program also chairs all the 
festivals, describes this program as ``a meaningful bridge between 
writer and reader, between the written word and its audience, and 
between the creative urge, the finished product, and its young 
consumers.''
  Mr. Speaker, this is a program of which every parent and child can be 
proud. I am glad to wholeheartedly support it and the gifted authors 
who write to educate and inspire our children and who stimulate a 
child's love for books. I congratulate the Authors Festival on its 20th 
anniversary, and wish them many more years of success.

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