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A MEMORIAL

DECLARING NOVEMBER 1, 2007 "READ TO A CHILD DAY".

WHEREAS, a team of fourth- and fifth-grade students at

La Union elementary school in the Gadsden independent school

district conducted a community literacy initiative and, from

what they learned, they wanted to give every third-grade

student in New Mexico a book; and

WHEREAS, this team of students began research on New

Mexico authors, found more than forty authors, developed a

rating rubric and narrowed their list down to fifteen; and

WHEREAS, the students contacted a group of adults who

were representative of the state and invited them to be part

of a selection committee using their rubric to narrow the

list of books to six; and

WHEREAS, the students invited the governor to make the

final decision on a book, and he selected "Santero's Miracle"

by Rudolfo Anaya, with a copy to be given to each third-grade

student; and

WHEREAS, the book will be accompanied by a web-based

teacher curriculum and a hard copy of a parent curriculum

that will be tied to the New Mexico curriculum standards; and

WHEREAS, the governor selected November 1, 2007 to

distribute the books to every third-grade student; and

WHEREAS, November 1 marks national family literacy day

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and approximately eight thousand literacy programs will hold

readings, workshops and family activities across the country;

and

WHEREAS, reading aloud is a time-honored tradition for

parents, caregivers and children, especially in a child's

formative years; and

WHEREAS, reading has a lifelong impact on a child's

learning experiences, developmental progress and even social

interaction;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that November 1, 2007 be declared "Read to

a Child Day" to celebrate the importance of reading; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the secretary of public education and the

governor.