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Thursday, April 24, 1997

Governor touts youth books program

By SARAH HORNADAY

Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN (AP) - Gov. George W. Bush promoted reading as the medicine for the mind Wednesday as he touted the Reach Out and Read Program.

As part of the program, started nationally in 1989, pediatricians give new books to children each time they come in for a checkup.

In addition, the program provides volunteers who will read stories aloud to children in a pediatrics clinic waiting room. Pediatricians and nurse practitioners also counsel parents about the importance of reading with young children.

"Reading is to the mind what exercise and a balanced diet are to the body," Bush said. "Early detection saves lives. And early detection is vital to the detection of another disease. One that won't destroy your body, but will cripple your mind. It's called illiteracy. Fortunately this disease is 100 percent curable in its earliest stages through a treatment called reading."

The program is already under way at the Fort Bend Family Health Center in Richmond and University of Texas Medical School WIC Children's Clinic in Spring Branch.

Scott & White, a not-for-profit health care system, launched the program at its pediatrics center in Temple on Tuesday and plans to incorporate it at its 16 other clinics around the state.

"This program has the most profound logic of all. Let's start early," said Bush, who was joined by first lady of Texas Laura Bush, an outspoken advocate for literacy programs. "Let's make sure to the best extent possible that every single child that enters our public schools is prepared to read."

Reach Out And Read (ROAR) was created in 1989 by a group of pediatricians and educators at Boston City Hospital.

There are more than 80 clinics and pediatric practices in 34 states participating in the program.

Scott & White representatives estimate 10,000 children will receive books at the Temple clinic this year and more than 30,000 children will annually receive books when the program expands to its other sites.

Rep. Dianne White Delisi, R-Temple, said, "This will have a major impact on literacy in Texas." Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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