READ 180 and System 44 All-Star award winners across the United States
recognized for overcoming the odds and improving their reading skills
NEW YORK, NY – April 28, 2014 – Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL), the global children’s publishing, education and media company, today named 13 exceptional students in grades 5–12 as READ 180® and System 44® All-Stars. Thanks to their dedicated teachers and enrollment in Scholastic READ 180 or System 44, the leading blended learning programs proven to raise reading achievement for at-risk readers, these students achieved remarkable reading gains. They were able to overcome obstacles, setting themselves on the path to college and career readiness.
The 13 award winners—ten READ 180 students and three System 44 students—have all significantly improved their reading abilities and developed newfound self-confidence with support from their dedicated READ 180 and System 44 teachers. Whether they faced health challenges, learning disabilities or the difficulty of learning English for the first time, these 13 students from across the country were able to put aside academic and personal challenges to make significant reading gains that are helping them succeed in all subject areas.
“I am inspired by the stories of these All-Stars and their ability to persevere, work hard and overcome the challenges in their paths,” said Margery Mayer, President of Scholastic Education. “For students to meet the more rigorous reading and writing standards being put in place across the country, it is vital for them to become expert readers and writers. The stories of these incredible students should serve as a reminder that it’s never too late for students to learn to read and turn their academic careers and lives around.”
Manuel de Jesus Hernandez-Martinez, 16, is a sophomore at Thomas Dale High School in Chester
Manuel immigrated to the United States from Mexico when he was five years old. Coming from a household of Spanish speakers, Manuel had to learn English at school and translate for his family. At the start of his eighth grade year, Manuel was a beginning reader. Through the use of READ 180, this year he was able to pass all his Virginia Standards of Learning tests for the ninth grade. “One of the biggest ways READ 180 has helped me was when I needed to get my Social Security card,” Manuel explained. “I got the form and was able to read and fill it out all on my own. If it wasn’t for READ180, I never would have been able to understand he complicated forms.” In 2016, Manuel will be the first person in his family to earn a high school diploma.
The READ 180 and System 44 All-Stars will each receive a $1,200 check from Scholastic to be used towards furthering their education, and the winning students’ nominating teachers will each receive $1,000 worth of Scholastic READ 180 and System 44 educational materials for their classrooms.
