Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 6/2/97
      Contact:                           Carol Dotson   25

COMMUNITY INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN "TOWN MEETING" AT SLU JUNE 17 
     HAMMOND -- Southeastern Louisiana University will host the U.S. Secretary of
Education's satellite "Town Meeting" and will use that occasion to kick off its efforts to meet the
AMERICA READS challenge proposed by President Clinton.
     The topic is "Ready to Learn: Preparing Young Children For School Success." The event
will be held on Tuesday June 17 in the Learning Resource Center of SLU's Teacher Education
Center. The meeting begins at 6:30 and a group discussion will follow.
     Secretary Richard Riley will lead a discussion with parents, educators, business and
community leaders from around the country who will provide ideas and strategies for working
together to assure that every young child has the opportunity to succeed.
     The Southeastern project will have tutors working with children in grades PreK-3 to help
bolster their reading ability, said Dr. JoAnn Robisheaux, coordinator.  In addition to work/study
funded tutors and volunteers from campus organizations, Robisheaux is also looking for
members of the community to join the corp of volunteer tutors. 
     Robisheaux invites parents, community groups, businesses, schools and interested
individuals to be a part of the Town Meeting and the AMERICA READS 
Challenge. 
     "The general purpose is for the community to know what AMERICA READS  is and
what we're doing at Southeastern. We also need the community's input for referrals as well as to
be tutors," said Robisheaux.
     

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