ARCADE, N.Y., April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Preparation for the sixth annual Family Reading Night is underway for students of Pioneer Central School District. Navient Foundation, the company-sponsored philanthropic fund, awarded a $1,700 grant to support the event, which will be held on Friday, April 27 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Pioneer Middle School.
The evening aims to encourage reading and promote literacy among students through creative engagement. This year’s program theme is “Read, Know, Grow” with a focus on the environment in honor of Arbor Day later this month.
“The grant ensures that our literacy promotion does not stop when families leave the school,” said Stephanie Hogan, library media specialist, Pioneer High School. “The generous donation sends 150 families home with event-related items, most notably on-theme books for the students and their families to read.”
The school district says that the evening provides a way to acknowledge and celebrate the vital roles that families play in promoting literacy and instills a sense of community among families, students and staff.
“Pioneer’s Family Reading night has always been a great experience for me and my family,” said Laura Neri, Navient. “My daughters benefitted from the provided books and activities. It is a fantastic way to promote literacy and togetherness in a safe family-friendly environment in our community.”
Since its beginnings in 2012, the annual event has made an impact in the lives of more than a thousand students and their family members, including those part of the Pioneer Credit Recovery team, a Navient subsidiary, in Arcade.
“The school staff put a lot of preparation and thought into creating a few hours after-school to continue instilling the love and benefit of reading to students and their families,” said Amy Punnett, Navient. “The event helped remind my eleven-year-old daughter that being a good reader is important in everyday life.”
Each year, organizers of the evening incorporate a theme to demonstrate the connections between reading and other aspects of life. This year, students will participate in a workshop with the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, create arts and crafts, code and compete in book trivia games. Past themes have focused on science, health and wellness, music and art.
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About Navient
Navient (Nasdaq:NAVI) is a leading provider of asset management and business processing solutions for education, healthcare and government clients at the federal, state and local levels. The company helps its clients and millions of Americans achieve financial success through services and support. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, Navient employs team members in western New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, Indiana, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and other locations. Learn more at navient.com.
Contact:
Brianna Huff, 302-283-2973, brianna.huff@navient.com
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