Mrs. Nebraska joins Governor Pillen in signing ‘Reading Day’ Proclamation

LINCOLN, Neb. (KSNB) – At the State Capitol, Mrs. Nebraska teamed up alongside Governor Jim Pillen to encourage reading in Nebraska’s youth.

Alissa Harrington has been visiting schools across the state, reading to young kids as part of her platform to promote youth literacy, and her “Readers Today, Leaders Tomorrow” program.

Harrington recounted her early years as a catalyst to help inspire kids to enjoy reading.

“Youth literacy holds a special place in my heart. I was a child who struggled with a reading disability. In fact, I still struggle with one today. It’s funny, my younger self would probably be shocked and in disbelief that I’m standing before you today as I was one who was scared and fearful of reading before others,” she said.

Harrington gifts each child in the classrooms a brand new book, in hopes that they’ll be inspired to keep reading.

“With each visit and with each child I’ve met, one thing has remained the same. I witnessed an excitement and a hunger for reading. It’s my hope that moving forward on Read Across Nebraska Day, that schools and libraries, as well as childcare facilities, and parents as well. will continue to encourage that hunger and desire for reading, and to help foster a positive relationship with the words on the page for generations of Nebraska children to come.”

Governor Pillen then signed the proclamation, marking March 4 as “Read Across Nebraska Day”.

“And whereas the words of Dr. Seuss, the more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you’ll go,” Gov. Pillen said. “Now therefore be I, Jim Pillen, Governor of the great state of Nebraska, do hereby proclaim the fourth day of March 2024 as Read Across Nebraska Day, and I do hereby urge all citizens to take due notice.”

Click here to subscribe to our KSNB Local4 daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.

Copyright 2024 KSNB. All rights reserved.