KU News Release

Media advisory: KU chancellor and officials to present grant to literacy program

LAWRENCE — A University of Kansas-backed early childhood language and literacy initiative in Kansas City, Kan., has earned a a $3.4 million U.S. Department of Education grant.

KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway will present the grant to program leaders later this week. He will be joined by U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Ray Simon and Kansas Commissioner of Education Alexa Posny.

The project, Wyandotte Early Reading First, is a collaboration between the Juniper Gardens Children’s Project, one of the 12 centers of KU’s Life Span Institute; Project EAGLE at the KU Medical Center; the Kansas City, Kan., Economic Opportunity Foundation Head Start; and El Centro Academy for Children.

Hemenway, Roberts, Simon and Posny also will eat lunch with preschoolers and be available to media for comments.

WHAT: Presentation of $3.4 million Department of Education Early Reading First grant to Wyandotte Early Reading First, KU’s Juniper Gardens Children’s Project and the KU Medical Center’s Project EAGLE.

WHO: KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway; Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.; Deputy Secretary of Education Ray Simon; Kansas Commissioner of Education Alexa Posny; Mary Abbott, assistant research professor, Juniper Gardens Children’s Project; Martha Staker, director of Project EAGLE

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 14
11:20 a.m.: Tour of preschool classrooms
11:30 a.m.: Lunch with children
11:40 a.m.: Grant presentation
12:10 p.m.: Media availability

WHERE: Bryant Preschool Economic Opportunity Foundation Head Start Center, 2940 North 17th St., Kansas City, Kan.

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