The PRIME TIME/Pennington partnership is aimed at reducing the Greater Baton Rouge region's numbers of poorly performing elementary students in English Language Arts (ELA) test scores.  Statewide, the 2013 average percentage of students scoring "below basic" in ELA on standardized tests was 23 percent; however, the average score for East Baton Rouge was 27 percent (WBR scored better, at 20 percent).  Therefore, the region's need for proven, outcomes-driven family literacy programs remains both significant and urgent.

Click here to learn more about the Pennington Foundation's generous gift. 

Each year, the LEH honors Louisianians who have made outstanding contributions to the study and understanding of the humanities. The 2014 Public Humanities award goes to Ashley Hardee Boudreaux, Education and Disabilities Facilitator of Sabine Parish Universal Preschool, and Debra S. Lee, M.Ed., N.B.C.T, Director of Federal Programs & Curriculum & Instruction at Sabine Parish School District have served as essential partners of the LEH's PRIME TIME Family Reading Time. Sabine Parish School District has implemented more than 21 programs implemented across the system since 2001. 

The tireless efforts of Boudreaux and Lee benefit the children and families who reside in the small, rural parish of 24,300 residents. Starting in the 2012-13 school year, and under their leadership, Sabine Parish School System has implemented 11 programs, reaching 150 families (425 individuals) under the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy (SRCL) grant and in partnership with the LEH. Sabine Parish was the first school system to recognize the benefits of collaborating with PRIME TIME to fulfill the mission of their schools and to compete for SRCL funding. The professionalism of school staff was a key to the success of this partnership. 

LEH Interim President/Executive Director Miranda Restovic and PRIME TIME Senior Consultant Faye Flanagan praised Lee and Boudreaux in their nomination letter: "Ashley, Debra and the PRIME TIME team members have brought humanities programming to families in this rural northwest Louisiana parish. The only way PRIME TIME can reach families around the state is to collaborate with professionals of this caliber." Last year's award went to the Georgia Public Library Service.

The Humanities Awards take place Saturday, March 29th, 12:30 at Audubon Tea Room in New Orleans.

Click here to purchase tickets. 

PRIME TIME

"Participating teachers reported overwhelmingly positive results and left the experience with CEU's, a guide for implementation in their home classrooms, a book, and, most importantly, increased skills in employing the Socratic method in the classroom."

Read the entire article here. And thanks to our partners at the NEH for their ongoing support!

On Thursday, March 27^th, PRIME TIME Associate Director, Shantrell Austin, and PRIME TIME Assistant Director, Tara Zapp will conduct a session entitled:  "Finding New Audiences with New Directions: Programming from PRIME TIME and the LEH."  The session will focus on the LEH's family reading and discussion program PRIME TIME Family Reading as well as its family-based reading readiness program PRIME TIME Preschool. These programs provide opportunities for libraries to deepen their public humanities offerings for families and children. PRIME TIME programs are proven to increase library patronage among underserved and difficult to reach individuals.  The speakers will provide details on how libraries can partner with the LEH to implement these programs. 

Visit the LLA conference website for additional details.