Purdue participates in 'Reading Extravaganza'
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University leaders including professors, Indianapolis 500 princesses, ROTC members, a standout athlete and Purdue's homecoming queen will read to 200 Tippecanoe County area elementary school students Monday (March 7) as part of an annual national literacy awareness campaign.
The ninth annual "Reading Extravaganza," sponsored by Purdue's Barbara Cook Chapter of the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society, will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the Purdue Memorial Union. The "celebrity" readers will share their love of books and the rewards of reading with the second-grade students.
Purdue drama students also will pass on their talents to the pupils as they make reading come alive through acting. This will take place in the Purdue Memorial Union West Faculty Lounge.
New to the event this year, Mortar Board will be coordinating a Purdue traditions rotation where Purdue Pete, the Silver Twins, Purdue cheerleaders and Reamer Club members will share their Boilermaker spirit while emphasizing the importance of reading. This will take place in the Purdue Memorial Union East Faculty Lounge.
The schedule for the day is as follows:
10-10:25 a.m.: Featured Reader- Eric Barker, Purdue College of Pharmacy associate dean for research and associate professor of medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology.
10:30-11:40 a.m.: "Celebrity" readers, Drama, and Purdue traditions rotations.
11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Lunch Break.
12:20 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.: Featured Reader - Tom Turpin, Purdue entomology professor.
Approximately 200 students from Hershey and Mintonye Elementary Schools plan to attend.
With more than 200 college chapters, the national Mortar Board organization promotes the "Reading is Leading" program to promote senior honor society members' leadership skills while performing community service.
Mortar Board members are selected for their achievements in scholarship, leadership, and service to the university community. It is the first national organization to honor senior college women. The Purdue chapter of Mortar Board was chartered in 1926. The society admitted men after 1975. The Barbara Cook chapter of Mortar Board is named to honor retired Dean of Students Barbara Cook, who advised the group from 1956-1986.
Writer: Jim Bush, 765-494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu
Source: Christy Penner, 765-430-4888; cpenner@purdue.edu