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Students at a Paying for College Bus Tour stop, Reading PA

The Sallie Mae Fund teams with Reading Is Fundamental to improve local literacy

Reston, Va. program kicks-off Wednesday, Oct. 22

Reston, Va., Oct. 21, 2003—As part of an ongoing effort to promote academic achievement, The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, has increased its commitment to Reading Is Fundamental's National Book Program, supporting the program in eight communities, including Reston, Va. The Sallie Mae Fund's $53,000 grant, combined with the dedication of hundreds of Sallie Mae employee volunteers, will work towards increasing an interest in reading for nearly 15,000 children.

Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF) is the nation's oldest and largest children's literacy organization. It develops and delivers children's and family literacy programs that help prepare young children for reading and motivate school-age children to read regularly. RIF's National Book Program motivates children, families and community members to read together. Students have the opportunity to choose and take home a book at no cost to their families and interact with volunteers, who read stories to the children at the event. For 13 years, Sallie Mae employees have volunteered in the communities where they live and work through the National Book Program—providing more than 200,000 books and dedicating thousands of volunteer hours reading to local children.

"The Sallie Mae Fund is committed to supporting programs that foster academic achievement and help ensure students are prepared to pursue a higher education," said Susan Corsini, chairman of The Sallie Mae Fund. "Literacy, and more importantly a love of reading, is key to a successful academic career. We're pleased to support Reading Is Fundamental which is doing so much to improve literacy nationwide."

This year, The Sallie Mae Fund and teams of Sallie Mae volunteers will continue to support RIF programs in three communities where Sallie Mae employees live and work: Killeen, Texas; Panama City, Fla.; and Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The new programs will launch in five other communities: Reston, Va.; Fishers, Ind.; Mesa, Ariz.; Perry, N.Y.; and Rockland, Mass.

The Sallie Mae Fund kicks-off its Reston, Va.-based RIF program on Wednesday, Oct. 22, and Thursday, Oct. 23.

WHO: Local elementary school students, Reading Is Fundamental, The Sallie Mae Fund, and employee volunteers

WHAT: Reading is Fundamental kick-off—650 Dogwood Elementary students will have the opportunity to select a book to take home and Sallie Mae volunteers will read stories to the children.

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 22 - 8:45 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 23 - 8:45 a.m. - 3 p.m.

WHERE: Dogwood Elementary
12300 Glade Drive, Reston, Va. 20191

WHY: To spark an interest in reading among local students and improve academic achievement.

The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, achieves its mission—to increase access to a post–secondary education for America's students—by supporting programs and initiatives that help open doors to higher education, prepare families for their investment, and bridge the gap when no one else can. For more information visit www.salliemaefund.org.

Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. Founded in 1966, RIF develops and delivers children's and family literacy programs that help prepare young children for reading and motivate school-age children to read regularly. RIF's highest priority is to serve the nation's neediest children, from birth to age 11. Through a national, grassroots network of 435,000 community volunteers, RIF programs last year provided 15 million new, free books and other essential literacy resources to nearly five million children.