St. Bernard parish, La. — Deputy Education Secretary Ray Simon, First Book(r) Vice President Lynda Lancaster and Louisiana State Deputy Superintendent of Education Carole Butler-Wallin today highlighted the importance of reading and presented free books to students at Andrew Jackson Elementary School in St. Bernard Parish, La. The donation included some of the more than 200,000 Random House children's books, provided by First Book through the Gulf Coast Back to School Book Donation, which is designed to help replenish reading materials in hurricane-affected communities across the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama and Florida.

"Reading is more than a pastime; it's a survival skill," Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said. "A child who can read is a child who can learn. And a child who can learn is one who can succeed in school and in life. The books being donated today through First Book's Book Relief initiative will ensure that students at Andrew Jackson Elementary have the opportunity to read during the school year and have books in their library."

Hurricane Katrina devastated St. Bernard Parish. Almost the entire parish was flooded. With the exception of the second floor of Chalmette High School, all 14 schools that comprise the St. Bernard Parish Public School system were deemed uninhabitable or otherwise completely destroyed. Earlier this month, Andrew Jackson Elementary, which now serves all 1,600 students in pre-kindergarten through 6th grades across the parish, reopened its doors.

Kyle Zimmer, president of First Book said, "By helping provide new books to children who have lost so much, First Book and the U.S. Department of Education will give them the opportunity to enhance their literacy skills, as well as provide them with a fun and necessary escape to whole new worlds."

The Gulf Coast Back to School Book Donation is the result of a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Education and First Book. The initiative is part of First Book's Book Relief program, an unprecedented, publishing industry-wide effort to distribute 5 million new books to those affected by the 2005 hurricanes via organizations, schools and libraries. The program will help support those displaced by the hurricane and replenish books in schools and libraries being rebuilt on the Gulf Coast.

For more information about Book Relief, visit: www.BookRelief.org.

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