Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/60893
NEA's 15th Annual Read Across America Day, cont. from page 19 RIGHT: Roosevelt Education Association President Sajael Fairbairn accepts a check for $1,000 presented to John R. Davis Elementary School by Chapman Mazda of Phoenix. local dealership will enable Mazda to donate $25 per test drive to public school libraries nationwide, up to a total of $1 million. Administered by the NEA Foundation, this donation will provide vital funds to help the nation's struggling public school libraries. "Every Mazda blends an envious ABOVE: The Lorax attended Read Across America Day at John R. Davis Elementary School in Phoenix. RIGHT: Paige Rockett, Forest Ranger for the Tonto National Forest Service, reads "The Lorax" to students at Davis School. Taylor Swift, and Betty White lend their vocal talents to Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment's animated adventure "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax" and are all co-chairs of this year's Read Across America celebration, a first for the NEA program. As co-chairs, the actors all recorded Read Across America PSAs, encouraging adults to pick up a book and read to a child. (Visit www.nea.org/readacross to view the PSAs.) The New York Public Library event was the culmination of a two-week national reading tour. NEA also revved up its engines for the first ever "NEA's Read Across America Tour – Driven by Mazda"– a cross-country tour that visited public schools, Mazda dealerships and other stops to bring the gift of reading to thousands of public school students. Through April 2, consumers test driving any Mazda vehicle at a 20 Summer 2012 ❘ AEA Advocate combination of environmental, driving, and safety performance," said Don Romano, chief marketing officer, Mazda North American Operations. "But the greater importance of our work is our partnership with NEA's Read Across America tour. With the involvement of every one of our 640-plus U.S. dealers, we have raised our long-standing commitment to support literacy across the U.S., helping our nation's children achieve peak performance through the gift of reading." Also in support of NEA's Read Across America, longtime partner Target hosted Dr. Seuss storytimes in all of its stores, featuring live readings of Dr. Seuss' classic tale and celebrations of Dr. Seuss' birthday. NEA's Read Across America is once again co-sponsored by Dr. Seuss Enterprises ("Cat in the Hat" is the Read Across America Day mascot). "We are just as excited today as we were 15 years ago to be a part of this incredible reading program," said Susan Brandt, President