Elementary, middle and high school students from around Florida were honored during a “Celebrate Literacy Week” event Jan. 29 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida for their efforts in writing and producing public service announcements (PSAs) that communicate this year’s theme, “Reading Accelerates Success,” and encourages literacy.
NASA and the visitor complex partnered with the Florida Department of Education for this year’s Celebrate Literacy Week. The PSA Awards Program is sponsored by Just Read, Florida!
Participating in the awards ceremony, held in the Astronaut Encounter Theater, were Florida’s first lady Ann Scott; Pam Stewart, Florida Commissioner of Education; Wendy Stevens, director of Just Read, Florida!; Christie Bassett, 2015 Florida Teacher of the Year; Dr. Brian Binggeli, Brevard County Schools superintendent; David Culp, Kennedy’s Communication and Public Engagement deputy director; Therrin Protze, chief operating officer with Delaware North Parks & Resorts at KSC; and former NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence.
Attendees viewed the finalists’ PSAs on screen. First lady Ann Scott presented the first, second and third place winners in each division with their awards. Each winning team’s school received a check and books for its library.
“This is my fifth year participating in the Celebrate Literacy Week,” Scott said. “I love getting to see how Florida students get creative when it comes to sharing their passion for reading.”
Florida Teacher of the Year for 2015, Christie Bassett, an art teacher at Highland Scrub Elementary School in Polk County, shared her passion for reading and encouraged students to do the same.
“I’ve been so lucky to visit schools around the state, big and small, and every size in between,” Bassett said. “Each school I visited had one thing in common: they are all proud to show off their library, filled with the books that students love to read.”
Bassett said she loves helping her students find a book on a topic that interests them and ignites a passion for reading.
“If you will set aside time to read each day, you will get better at it and will find more and more books that you enjoy reading,” Bassett said.
Florida Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart congratulated the PSA Award Program winners and advised students that the only way to get really good at reading is to practice.
“I would also add, find something that interests you and read about that,” Stewart said. “I commend you for your ability to use creativity and technology expertise and blend them together in order to help students understand, throughout the state of Florida, the importance of reading.”
Former NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence described an example of the importance of reading.
“I will never forget my first day of work as an astronaut candidate at Johnson Space Center in Houston. On my desk was a one-foot-high stack of manuals for all of the systems on board the space shuttle,” Lawrence said. “I had to read each page. You cannot get into space if you can’t read.
“I’m often asked ‘what does it take to make your dreams come true?’ It’s a good education. You can’t get a good education, that foundation for the rest of your life, unless you can read. Continue to embrace reading, a love of books and a love of learning,” Lawrence said.
Scott said: “I love having the opportunity to travel around the state and visit schools and share my passion for reading with Florida students, encouraging them to keep reading and expanding their knowledge.”
Other partners include the Florida Lottery, National Geographic, Scholastic Books, the Dairy Council of Florida, CENGAGE Learning, the Florida Education Foundation, Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts at KSC, and Kennedy’s Education Office.
Winners of the PSA Awards Program:
Elementary School Students
First Place: Cambridge Elementary, Brevard County
Second Place: Ketterlinus Elementary, St. John’s County
Third Place: Forest City Elementary, Seminole County
Middle School Students
First Place: Explorer K-8 school, Hernando County
Second Place: Dunnellon Middle School, Marion County
Third Place: Baker Middle School, Okaloosa County
High School Students
First Place: Choice High School, Okaloosa County
Second Place: Marianna High School, Jackson County
Third Place: Niceville High School, Okaloosa County