First Lady Haslam Hosts a Read20 Family Book Club Event Highlighting Wilma Glodean Rudolph
Event pays tribute to a legendary Olympic champion from Tennessee
NASHVILLE – First Lady Crissy Haslam today hosted Girls on the Run Nashville, a youth development program for girls in 3rd through 8th grade, at Tennessee State University for a Read20 Family Book Club event highlighting Wilma Glodean Rudolph, a legendary Olympic champion who raced with the school’s track and field team.
Mrs. Haslam read the February book of the month, Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull, and Chandra Chesseborough-Guice, head coach of the track and field program, spoke about Rudolph’s history at TSU. Following the program, Girls on the Run toured the school’s athletic facilities and performed drills with TSU’s track and field team.
“Wilma Rudolph made an incredible impact on society for African Americans, for women and for all people who have hurdles to clear,” Mrs. Haslam said. “Her journey is particularly inspiring this month as we celebrate African American history and enjoy the 2014 Winter Olympics.”
As part of her initiative as First Lady, Mrs. Haslam encourages parents to engage in the academic lives of their children through reading and literacy. Research shows that reading for at least twenty minutes each day can have a tremendous impact on how well a child will perform in school. The Read20 Family Book Club features a new book and corresponding family activities each month as an additional tool for families to participate in daily reading.
“Bill and I know that families have many competing priorities, but it is important to remember the incredible value of daily reading,” Mrs. Haslam said. “Parents have the power to boost their children's learning potential by making books an integral and enjoyable part of their lives.”
For more information about the Read20 Family Book Club visit www.tn.gov/read20, www.facebook.com/CrissyHaslam, or follow @Read20TN on Twitter.