RAA on NEWS 9

Friday came early for the OEA and our Read Across America partners as we appeared on the early morning program on Channel 9. The annual appearance on Channel 9 officially kicks off the 2007 Read Across America campaign.

This year the OEA, the Pi Beta Phi Alumni Association, and the Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County, Staples, and Bob Moore Saturn of OKC have joined together to conduct our 2007 program "Read Across America, a Centennial Event". Our 2007 Honorary Chair is Lt. Governor Jari Askins.

Each day for 2 weeks, and then next week, after an introduction by the Cat in the Hat, a different Seuss book has been read by the Pi Phis at the Boys and Girls Club. On March 2nd, the culminating activity at the B & G Club will result in backpacks, certificates, books, medallions, and more for the almost 200 OKC public school students who have participated in the Read Across Oklahoma program.

Also on March 2nd, the 2007 "Outreach to Teach" project will be held at Taft Middle School. This is a beautification project sponsored by the Student OEA and the OEA. Our student members, from campuses all across Oklahoma, will help paint, rebuild, and construct a variety of areas within the school.

The Pi Phis will be at Taft too, where books will be given to over 1,000 students. The books were donated by the Oklahoma City Hornets, the Christmas Connection, and the SOEA.

Early morning risers for the segment on Channel 9 included Joan Hess, President of the Pi Phis, The Cat in the Hat (OEA's Bruce Tredaway), SOEA President Patricia Gorgas, and Doug Gibson, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County. Too shy to appear in the picture was Teaching and Learning specialist Floyd Cox. (Floyd was gracious enough to take the picture.)

For more RAA information go to http://www.okea.org/RAA/index.htm. To learn more about the 2007 Outreach to Teach go to http://www.okea.org/SOEA/index.htm.