MonticelloLive

Sheila Gardner, library media specialist at Drew Central Elementary, was awarded the Arkansas Reading Association Celebrate Literacy Educator Award for 2008 and Jason and Kay Espinoza were awarded the award for Arkansas Reading Association Celebrate Literacy Agency for 2008.

The award is given each year to an educator and agency for outstanding contributions to literacy in Arkansas. Each of the 25 councils throughout the state selected an educator and agency honorees from nominations. The Espinozas and Ms. Gardner were selected to represent SEARK Reading Council. Their nominations were sent to the ARA Literacy Committee where they were graded according to a rubric.

The “Celebrate Literacy in Arkansas” award’s ceremony was held at the state capitol rotunda on April 22nd   and Jeanne Harvey, Chair for ARA Literacy Committee, presented each of them with a plaque. Following the ceremony a tea was held at the Doubletree Hotel and Glenda Nugent, ARA President, presented state winners and all council honorees with certificates of recognition. Sylvia Ngar, SEARK Reading Council President, was recognized as a Diamond Award Winner for 2007-2008.

The Arkansas Reading Association, an affiliate of the International Reading Association, is a professional organization of individuals, institutions and councils dedicated to promoting reading and developing literacy.