2004 Campaign for Literacy Brings Books and Scholarships to Students in the Democratic National Convention's Host City Event Earlier Today at Northeastern University Provided More Than 2,500 Books to Boston Students and $25,000 in Scholarships to Participants in Jobs for America's Graduates BOSTON, July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- First Ladies Christie Vilsack of Iowa and Barbara Richardson of New Mexico, in partnership with Northeastern University and Sallie Mae, today announced that more than 2,500 books for Boston Public School students have been collected through the 2004 Campaign for Literacy Books for Boston book drive. "Beyond the Boston Common and the walls of Fenway Park, Boston is very much a city with its roots in education," said Christie Vilsack, First Lady of Iowa. "We stand here at Northeastern, a fitting example of the city's rich tradition in education, and a school many young Bostonians dream about attending. The Campaign for Literacy can make that dream a reality, open new doors of opportunity and help Boston's students grow." The book drive encouraged each delegate and attendee of the Democratic National Convention to donate at least one book to the Books for Boston Campaign for Literacy. The drive, which benefits kindergarten through 12th graders in the Boston Public School System, will continue throughout the week. The results of this year's drive have already surpassed a similar campaign held during the 2000 Democratic National Convention, which collected more than 1,000 books for literacy programs in Los Angeles. "Literacy is the cornerstone, the very foundation, of achievement," said Barbara Richardson, First Lady of New Mexico. "That is why this Campaign for Literacy is so important. The thousands of books that are being given to Boston students today build the foundation that will lead to their success tomorrow. That is why this Campaign is so important. The thousands of books that are being given to Boston students today will be a lasting gift on which tomorrow's success is built." The First Ladies of Iowa and New Mexico were joined in this effort by Ms. Angela Menino, Michael Contompasis, chief operating officer of Boston Public Schools, Richard M. Freeland, president of Northeastern University, and John Marcus, president of Nellie Mae, a Sallie Mae subsidiary, to announce the book donations. Governor and First Lady of Tennessee Phil Bredesen and Andrea Conte attended the event along with First Ladies Patti Blagojevich of Illinois, Karen Baldacci of Maine, Kim Henry of Oklahoma, First Gentlemen Daniel Mulhern of Michigan, Congressman Michael Capuano (D-MA) and his wife Barbara, and Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. (D-TN). The Boston Public School System educates more than 60,000 diverse students each year and is making great strides to reduce dropout rates, increase future enrollment in college and improve test scores among its student body. From 1998 through 2002, passing rates on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test have improved substantially for all ethnic groups: * Blacks have improved by 33 percent in English and 100 percent in Mathematics. * Asians have improved by 36 percent in English and 34 percent in Mathematics. * Hispanics have improved by 50 percent in English and 178 percent in Mathematics. * Whites have improved 10.4 percent in English and 25 percent in Mathematics. "We are very grateful to Sallie Mae, the delegates and to all those who generously donated books to Boston Public Schools," said Michael G. Contompasis, chief operating officer, Boston Public Schools. "Increasing literacy in Boston's public schools is a core value of the Boston Read Initiative, and the thousands of books donated today will go a long way in doing just that." In addition, The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, today presented $25,000 in college scholarships to Boston students and participants in Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG), a school-to-career program implemented in 1,000 schools across the country. The JAG program institutes effective strategies to ensure all participants in the program graduate from high school and provides work-based experience to lead to career opportunities and enrollment in a college or university. Ken Smith, the president and chief executive officer of JAG, joined by several JAG students, highlighted JAG's mission to increase graduation rates and provide work-based learning for students across the country. Kellie Rowe, participant in Jobs for Bay State Graduates, a partner of the JAG program, discussed how the program eased her transition from high school to college, built valuable leadership skills and helped prepare her for a career in social services. Speaking to the dozens of Boston grade school children in attendance Rowe said, "I hope that all of the children here today understand that education is the key to success. I hope you take every day of your education seriously and that you read every day and use what you learn from books to turn your dreams into reality and achieve your goals." Northeastern University, located in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts, is a world leader in cooperative education and recognized for its expert faculty and first-rate academic and research facilities. Through co-op, Northeastern undergraduates alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work in fields relevant to their professional interests and major, giving them nearly two years of professional experience upon graduation. The majority of Northeastern graduates receive a job offer from a co-op employer. Cited for excellence two years running by U.S. News & World Report, Northeastern was named a top college in the northeast by the Princeton Review 2003/04. In addition, Northeastern's career services was awarded top honors by Kaplan Newsweek's "Unofficial Insiders Guide to the 320 Most Interesting Colleges and Universities," 2003 edition. For more information, please visit http://www.northeastern.edu/. The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, achieves its mission -- to increase access to a postsecondary education for America's students -- by supporting programs and initiatives that help open doors to higher education, preparing families for their investment, and bridging the gap when no one else can. For more information visit http://www.thesalliemaefund.org/. DATASOURCE: Northeastern University CONTACT: Brylee Maxfield of Northeastern University, +1-617-373-2802; or Martha Holler, +1-703-810-5178, for The Sallie Mae Fund Web site: http://www.thesalliemaefund.org/ http://www.northeastern.edu/

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