Contacts:

Andy Eggers Mira Sleilati Pam Bosley

National Center for Family Literacy Toyota Motor North America, Inc. Pueblo City Schools
(502) 649-6588 (212) 715-7435 (719) 549-7178

M-E-D-I-A A-D-V-I-S-O-R-Y

WHAT: Toyota, Pueblo City Schools and the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL)
to announce details of a unique program aimed at boosting the literacy skills of
Hispanic and other immigrant children and their parents. Called the Toyota
Family Literacy Program, one of its key components is that parents and their
children attend the same school, spending time in the classroom together.

The program has a dual mission: to ensure that both parent and child succeed in
the classroom, as well as improve the overall quality of the parent-child
relationship. Toyota will invest $600,000 in the local family literacy initiative. The
program is up and running at Bradford Elementary, Baca Elementary and Irving
Elementary.

WHEN: Thursday, April 29, 2010

10 a.m.

WHERE: Bradford Elementary School

107 S. LaCrosse Avenue, Pueblo

INTERVIEW/PHOTO
OPPORTUNITIES: Current program participants will be available for interviews, including both
parent and child, in the classroom setting.

BACKGROUND: The Toyota Family Literacy Program is the first of its kind to focus on the needs
of Hispanic and other immigrant families with low English and literacy skills on a
national level. TFLP is aimed at U.S. cities with high, or fast-growing, Hispanic
populations. (The three schools where the program is taking place average 81
percent Hispanic enrollment.) Pueblo is one of five cities to receive funding for
the expansion of the program by way of a $3 million Toyota grant. The other
communities are Patterson, Calif.; Louisville, Ky.; Lincoln, Neb.; and Rochester,
N.Y. A total of 126 school districts submitted applications for the grant.

SPECIAL GUESTS: - Sharon Darling, president and founder, National Center for Family Literacy
- Kathy West, superintendent, Pueblo City Schools
- Larry Atencio, City Council President
- Erika Moreno, Family Literacy Program participant
- Juana Rivera, Family Literacy Program participant

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