Following the execution of Ronnie Lee Gardner KUED’s UtahNow team explores questions of justice and mercy in: Condemned. Watch the entire show online!

Tonight at 9:55pm, Weldon J. Taylor Executive Lecture Series

Check out KUED's
Kids Website!

Search again »

Print this release

KUED is inviting children two through 6th grade to participate in the 17th annual KUED Reading Marathon. KUED "Kids Village" will be the theme for this year's Super Reader Party for reading which rewards children.

KUED's 17th Annual READING MARATHON, running November 4th through November 27th, 2009, encourages children and their families to spend quality time reading together. The literacy event is in partnership with Utah's public libraries and community agencies, including Salt Lake Community Action Program Head Start, Boys & Girls Clubs of Salt Lake and Utah PTA. Last year, more than 3,000 children participated in the Reading Marathon and more than 2,000 children and their parents celebrated with Curious George and The Man With the Yellow Hat® at the Utah State Fairpark.

Kids may pick up a reading log at their public library or online at www.kued.org/reading. Children of pre-school age through sixth grade have different reading goals to meet; details are outlined on the reading log. Participants may read alone, read to someone else, or be read to by another person.

"KUED's Reading Marathon is a great way for families to spend time together," says Jacqui Voland, Community Outreach Manager for KUED. "As part of our Ready To Learn education initiative, the read-a-thon is a fun way to promote literacy and the many great programs offered through PBS."

During the first week of the competition, libraries and literacy partners statewide will host kick-off parties. For a list of locations and Reading Marathon requirements, visit the KUED website www.kued.org/reading.

Once children complete the marathon, they will be able to go online at home or at their local library to enter their own reading hours. Super Readers can then print both a reading certificate and an invitation to the Super Reader party with our PBS Pals, including Martha, from "Martha Speaks," Sid from "Sid the Science Kid," Buddy from "Dinosaur Train" and more.

"Providing services online allows us to streamline the process for our community partners and viewers, allowing more time for fun," Voland explains. Mini-grant applications for libraries located100 miles or more from Salt Lake can also be submitted online this year. Deadline for mini-grants is Friday, November 27th.

At the invitation-only Super Reader Party in January, hands-on learning activities, entertainment and free books are all part of the reward for being a KUED "Super Reader," including a high five from PBS Kids Characters for reading achievements.

For additional information on KUED's READING MARATHON, call (801) 585-3523 or visit www.kued.org/reading.

See what's going on in your community and what's on the KUED Kids block KUED-Channel 7 by visiting www.kued.org/kids.

Local and National Funder Credits
Reading Marathon is made possible in part by Nu Skin and Target.
In Kind sponsors: Utah State Fairpark, Cream O' Weber, Dairy Council of Utah, Nicholas and Company, Inc., Utah's Hogle Zoo, Clark Planetarium and Utah Family Magazine.
Ready To Learn educational events and services on KUED 7 are made possible by the Sorenson Legacy Foundation, the Emma Eccles Jones Foundation, United Way of Salt Lake, Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, Herbert I. & Elsa B. Michael Foundation, Ruth Eleanor Bamberger and John Ernst Bamberger Memorial Foundation, Qwest and U.S. Bank.

Community Partners of KUED's 2009 READING MARATHON are Salt Lake City Main Public Library, Salt Lake County Library Services, The Library Park City and Summit County libraries, Davis County libraries, Utah State Library Division, Salt Lake CAP Head Start, Utah's Hogle Zoo, Utah Museum of Natural History, Intermountain Therapy Animals, Clark Planetarium, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake, Utah PTA, University Neuropsychiatric Institute (UNI), Davis Education Foundation, Mad Science of Greater Salt Lake, Utah Education Network (UEN), and the Salt Lake City Section of the American Chemical Society.

###