READING COMES ALIVE FOR THE DEAF WITH ASL’S KEITH WANN
Deaf Community to Join Jumpstart’s Read for the Record Campaign Raising Awareness for Early Education on October 6th

Clearwater, FL - Renowned American Sign Language stand-up comedian and international performer Keith Wann, will participate in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record on October 6, 2011. For the third consecutive year working with Jumpstart and the Pearson Foundation, Wann will join both hearing and deaf children and adults across the country at 10:30 am EST at the Safety Harbor Library, and 6 pm at the Clearwater Library in Florida, to set two new reading records – for the largest shared reading experience and, for the first time this year, the largest digital reading experience – as part of the nationwide early childhood education awareness campaign that each fall focuses national attention on the importance of reading.
Presented in partnership with the Pearson Foundation for the sixth consecutive year, Jumpstart's Read for the Record campaign shares the love of reading with millions of children and families, while calling attention to the importance of early education. Wann’s participation extends the world-wide outreach campaign to the deaf and hard of hearing, numbering over 1 million in the United States alone. “I am thrilled to be participating in this event again! I am honored to work with We Give Books to bring another book alive for the ASL community. Including ASL members in this event is reflective of the Pearson Foundation’s concern that early literacy education reaches everyone, while simultaneously showing kids how fun and entertaining books can be in any language! It’s a great campaign.”
To date, more than seven million people have joined local Read for the Record reading celebrations; Jumpstart has raised more than $6 million to support its year-round work in preschools; and the Pearson Foundation has donated nearly one million books to local schools, libraries, and community organizations in conjunction with the annual campaign.
The Pearson Foundation, with the help of schools and communities, will donate 50,000 books through a new We Give Books reading campaign -- Read for Our Schools. Starting today, for every book read online as part of the Read for Our Schools campaign the Pearson Foundation will donate a brand-new copy of the official Read for the Record book – Llama Llama Red Pajama, by Anna Dewdney – so more children across the United States can help to set a new record for reading the same book on a single day. More than 10,000 schools will receive books through Read for Our Schools.
In partnership with Jumpstart and the Pearson Foundation, Wann supports early childhood education and encourages the entire community to participate in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record on October 6, by reading and/or viewing the ASL storytelling performance available on You Tube at KeithWann.com
Llama Llama Red Pajama is available to read now at wegivebooks.org, along with 150 classic children’s books. We Give Books, the digital reading and philanthropic initiative from the Pearson Foundation and Penguin, provides people everywhere the opportunity to read books online, anytime, for free. Visit Jumpstart’s Read for the Record and learn how to register for this year’s campaign.

Media Contact:
Stacey Finkel
Pearson Foundation
Stacey.finkel@pearsonfoundation.org
703.304.1377

About Keith Wann
As the son of two deaf parents, the hearing enabled comedian Keith Wann entertains, educates and advocates for the deaf and ASL community throughout the globe. Revered and respected by his peers, Wann is loved by audiences everywhere. As the industry’s premier stand-up comedian, he has been seen on Broadway, TV and performing for the famous including President George Bush Sr. Wann was the only hearing ASL performer invited to appear on Pepsi Refresh’s Superbowl commercial for the deaf and is the Producer of the ASL Comedy Tour, ASL Travel Channel and host of the first radio broadcast for the deaf, Keith Wann-Cultural Bridges. Wann is also the founder and director of not-for profit organization coda365 (children of deaf adults). Wann currently resides in Florida with his wife and two children.
To learn more about Keith Wann visit KeithWann.com or contact Publicist Carrie Hill, contact@carriehillpr.com

About Jumpstart
Every child deserves the chance to succeed, yet studies show that children from low-income neighborhoods are at a greater risk of school failure. Jumpstart is a national early education organization that helps these children develop the language and literacy skills they need for school, setting them on a path to close the achievement gap before it is too late. Since 1993, Jumpstart has trained more than 20,000 college students and community volunteers to deliver its program to more than 90,000 preschool children nationwide. Jumpstart’s award-winning program holds a “Best in America” seal from Independent Charities of America. Join Jumpstart to work toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. Learn more at jstart.org.
About the Pearson Foundation
The Pearson Foundation, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, extends Pearson’s commitment to education by partnering with leading nonprofit, civic, and business organizations to provide financial, organizational, and publishing assistance across the globe. The foundation aims to make a difference by sponsoring innovative educational programs and extending its educational expertise to help in classrooms and in local communities. More information on the Pearson Foundation can be found at pearsonfoundation.org.

About We Give Books
We Give Books is a philanthropic program from the Penguin Group and the Pearson Foundation that helps children become lifelong readers and givers. Together, Penguin and the Pearson Foundation support literacy through programs that engage entire communities. Working around the world through programs like Booktime, We Give Books, and Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, Penguin and the Pearson Foundation have touched millions of lives in thousands of communities. To learn more about the We Give Books program and its nonprofit partners, go to wegivebooks.org.