- Local students Invited to Participate in MTA Reading Contest, Enter Drawing for Red Sox Tickets -
WORCESTER, Mass., April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- This summer, children in kindergarten through grade eight from across the Commonwealth can read their way to Fenway Park through The Massachusetts Teachers Association's Red Sox Summer Reading Game, presented by The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, Inc.
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"I may be a professional athlete but good literacy skills are important no matter what you choose to do in life," said Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, the spokesperson for The Red Sox Reading game. "Reading is important because it is the surest way to reach your full potential -- to achieve your dreams and to be successful."
The MTA, Boston Red Sox and The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation sponsor The Red Sox Summer Reading Game to encourage children to read during the summer.
The program was developed by Massachusetts educators because studies repeatedly have shown that children who continue to read during the summer perform better when school resumes in the fall. Since its beginning in 2000, The Red Sox Summer Reading Game has inspired tens of thousands of children to read hundreds of thousands of books.
How to play
Participation is easy. Children simply pledge to read nine books -- one for each position on the baseball field -- and enter a drawing to win FREE tickets to a Red Sox game. This year, the program will welcome 100 students and their teachers to a Red Sox home game at Fenway Park. Entry forms will be sent to public schools throughout the state and are available at www.readingmatters.org.
To kick-off the program, Patrick Raposo, a student from the Samuel Watson Elementary School in Fall River, Mass., was honored during a pre-game ceremony at Fenway Park for being the first to submit his entry form, pledging to read nine books over the summer. As part of the program, Raposo joined Wally The Green Monster, among others, on the field before making his way to the stands to enjoy his complimentary seats at the Red Sox/Yankees game.
"Jason's willingness to play a leading role in the MTA's efforts to promote literacy sends the right message to our students," noted MTA President Anne Wass. "He helps us make the point that reading is not only essential for success, but also an enjoyable activity during the summer and throughout the year."
"The Red Sox Reading Game is a fun and exciting educational program that positively impacts local youth, helping them retain what they have learned throughout the school year and to achieve continued academic success," said Linda McGowan, president of The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation. "We are very excited to have the opportunity to support this important initiative, which aligns well with our mission to empower youth to reach their full potential."
About The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation
The mission of The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, Inc. is to improve the quality of life in communities where The Hanover Insurance Group companies have a major presence, placing a special emphasis on helping to build world class public education systems and inspiring and empowering youth to achieve their full potential.
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG), based in Worcester, Mass., is a leading provider of auto, home and business insurance in Massachusetts.
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. is the holding company for a group of insurers that includes The Hanover Insurance Company, also based in Worcester; Citizens Insurance Company of America, headquartered in Howell, Mich., and their affiliates. The Hanover offers a wide range of property and casualty products and services to individuals, families and businesses through an extensive network of independent agents, and has been meeting its obligations to its agent partners and their customers for more than 150 years. Taken as a group, The Hanover ranks among the top 40 property and casualty insurers in the United States. For more information, please visit www.hanover.com.
CONTACTS:
The Hanover Insurance Group The MTA
Amy Lynn Banek Bob Duffy
(508) 855-4486 (617) 878-8266
abanek@hanover.com bduffy@massteacher.org
SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, Inc.
Contact: Amy Lynn Banek of The Hanover Insurance Group, +1-508-855-4486, abanek@hanover.com; or Bob Duffy of the MTA, +1-617-878-8266, bduffy@massteacher.org