IRA and ABA team up for literacy

Indianapolis, IN. The American Basketball Association (ABA) www.abalive.com announced today that it has teamed up with the International Reading Association (IRA) www.reading.org and its 60,000 members for Fast Break for Reading, a national literacy campaign, which will promote student literacy, establish lifelong reading habits, celebrate teachers, and donate books to local reading programs. Beginning with and extending through the 2012-2013 ABA season, Fast Break for Reading encourages students to read on their own for 10 minutes each night. Just 10 minutes of reading each night has been proven to improve a student’s vocabulary, word recognition, and reading comprehension. “Through this joint effort, the ABA and IRA hope to inspire a nation of students to collaborate to reach more than a million minutes by the conclusion of the ABA season,,” stated Stephen Sye, IRA Senior Marketing Manager.

Participating students and classrooms will be eligible to take advantage of ABA milestone incentives such as game tickets, merchandise, and ABA team activities. As part of Fast Break for Reading, students, parents, and teachers will be encouraged to donate books at local ABA games through Buckets & Books, , fans will receive special ticket prices and/or select merchandise. At the end of the program, top schools participating in Fast Break for Reading will have books donated on behalf of the ABA and IRA to their school’s reading program.

“The ABA is more than just a game,” stated Joe Newman, ABA CEO. “With the reach of 90+ teams nationwide, the ABA and its teams have the ability to impact communities positively as we do with our various food drives, Bullies are Cowards program, Warrior Support and Food For Heroes program and many others. Adding Fast Break for Reading and Buckets & Books to promote student literacy with the nation’s youth is a natural, and we are pleased to be teaming up with the IRA.”

Fast Break for Reading and Books & Buckets are expected to begin in November 2012.

Since 1956, IRA has been a nonprofit, global network of individuals and institutions committed to worldwide literacy. More than 60,000 members strong, the Association supports literacy professionals through a wide range of resources, advocacy efforts, volunteerism, and professional development activities. Members promote high levels of literacy for all by improving the quality of reading instruction, disseminating research and information about reading and encouraging the lifetime reading habit. For more information contact Stephen Sye at ssye@reading.org or visit www.reading.org or www.abalive.com.

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