No Child Left Behind

OUR COMMITMENT TO LITERACY

Possessing the ability to read and write is fundamental. It makes learning possible, inevitable and infinite. For this reason, fostering literacy has long been a priority of the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW), a grassroots organization with 100,000 members nationwide. Through our Mamie Eisenhower Library Project and Literacy Program, we have donated thousands of books to libraries, schools, hospitals and other public institutions.

Each September, the NFRW asks all Republican women's clubs to participate in Literacy Month by sponsoring a literacy project in their communities. To further promote literacy, we asked every member and club to read "Prince of Fire" by Daniel Silva in the summer of 2005 and to discuss the book at a club meeting. The book was selected by former First Lady Barbara Bush as part of the Literacy Program.

The NFRW also recognizes excellence in teaching by presenting the My Favorite Teacher Award every two years to one of our nation's outstanding educators.

Continuing our commitment to literacy, we have adopted education as our primary issue focus. Our goal is to improve public education and literacy by advocating grassroots support for education reform and taking direct action to improve literacy. We are using our network of members to promote President Bush's No Child Left Behind program which calls for high standards, accountability, flexibility, local control of schools and early reading initiatives.

We are also asking our members to take direct action through activities such as tutoring, teaching reading skills, and partnering with organizations such as Reach Out and Read (ROR), a national literacy program through which pediatricians encourage parents to read aloud to their young children and give books to their patients to take home. At the request of First Lady Laura Bush, the NFRW is encouraging members to volunteer as readers at their local ROR site or to donate money toward the purchase of books for the program.

"Whether it be donating a children's book to a literacy program, volunteering to mentor or read to children, or acting as an advocate at the local, state or national level, each of us has something of value to contribute to the literacy effort," NFRW President Shirley Sadler says. "By continuing to work together on this critical issue, we can ensure that no child is left behind."