WASHINGTON, D.C. - Next Tuesday, September 6, students at Payne Elementary School (Ward 6) are in for a special treat when they will receive a visit from D.C. United's Freddy Adu, Jaime Moreno and Christian Gomez. From 1:45-3:15 p.m., the three players will distribute a new children's book to each of the 289 kindergartener thru sixth graders as part of the 2005-06 program kick-off of United Reads, a United for D.C. initiative of which Payne Elementary has been a part since the program's inception in 2002.
"United is thrilled to be able to come out to Payne Elementary to kick off the start of our fourth season of United Reads," said Catherine Marquette, Executive Director for United for D.C. and United's Community Relations Director. "I think our players and staff look forward to these visits as much as the kids do. We all are avid readers, and to be able to spread that message along with providing new books to the kids is a blessing we embrace."
United Reads is a program developed by United for D.C., the charitable arm of D.C. United. Payne Elementary is one of four United Reads Schools - the others are Smothers Elementary (Ward 7), Howard Road Academy (Ward 8) and, new for this year, Birney Elementary (Ward 8). Books will be distributed to students at each school over the course of the entire school year at various appearances and other events supported by United for D.C. In addition, students and teachers will receive bookmarks, reading posters and folders, school supplies and other educational materials across the year. Some of the books to be distributed were collected through D.C. United's United Drives program from select D.C. United games and local United Bank branches.
In addition to the four United Reads Schools, in June, United for D.C. opened its first United Reads Reading Corner at the Children's Health Center in Southeast, D.C. The Reading Corner was outfitted with soccer-themed children's books and furniture as well as bookshelves, posters and a banner. The Reading Corner is in partnership with Reach Out and Read of Metro D.C., a physician-led early literacy intervention program. Through this Reading Corner alone, United Reads has the potential to impact over 5,000 children over the course of one year. This fall, United for D.C. hopes to open a second location.
For this particular event, students at Payne Elementary will also receive Sprint PCS water bottles, donated by Sprint PCS, through its partnership with D.C. United and Adu, Moreno and Gomez individually.
For more information on United Reads, United for D.C. in general or any of D.C. United's Community Relations initiatives, please contact Catherine Marquette at 202-587-5443 or at cmarquette@dcunited.com.
United for D.C.
United for D.C., Inc. was founded on January 8, 2002 as the charitable arm of Major League Soccer's D.C. United. United for D.C. is a 501(c)3 organization chartered to serve the Washington, D.C. community through the creation or support of programs, events and organizations that advance educational and social welfare opportunities (primarily health and recreational) for the area's youth, particularly those who may be economically, physically or mentally disadvantaged.
