Miss America 2012 Laura Kaeppeler and Reading Rainbow host Levar Burton to Join Secretary Duncan for Let’s Read! Let’s Move! Summer Enrichment Series Event

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will be joined by Miss America 2012 Laura Kaeppeler and LeVar Burton, actor and host of Reading Rainbow, at the U.S. Department of Education headquarters building on Wednesday, July 18, at 10:00 a.m. ET for this summer’s second Let’s Read! Let’s Move! event. The summer enrichment series aims to keep children moving and reading over the summer months, and to encourage adults to read to their kids and stay active along with them.

The series is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service’s summer United We Serve: Let’s Read! Let’s Move! initiative, which engages youth in summer reading and physical activity, as well as provides information about healthy, affordable food.

Preschool and elementary age youngsters from a number of schools and centers in the area (listed below) will attend the July 18 event, as well as kids of Department employees. Duncan, Kaeppeler, and LeVar will read to the children and give them an opportunity to ask questions. Students will then engage in the “Let’s Move” part of the event—a series of fun physical activities, such as Make the Salad Relay Race and Jumbo Jam Basketball – inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama’s initiative to combat childhood obesity by emphasizing healthy eating and an active lifestyle.

The Department’s Let’s Read! Let’s Move! series is being carried out in partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington PHD (Physical, Healthy, Driven) program. Target Corporation will provide healthy snacks and every child will be able to select a free new book to take home, courtesy of Target and its partnership with First Book. A vegetable and fruit tasting station will be featured, courtesy of Giant Food, a partner of the YMCA.

Various Cabinet members, administration officials, and other public figures will participate in the upcoming Let's Read! Let’s Move! events, scheduled for July 25 and 30, and featuring pre-kindergarten through third grade students from other local schools and summer programs.