An exciting - and in many ways precedent-setting - new partnership was just initiated between The Shell Oil Company and the LEH's PRIME TIME Family Reading Time program: The Shell-LEH National Gulf States PRIME TIME Initiative. In the first year of an anticipated three-year collaboration, Shell is contributing $200,000 to initiate a major expansion of PRIME TIME afterschool family literacy programming across Louisiana, as well as Florida. In subsequent years, PRIME TIME anticipates expanding into additional Gulf South states. In addition, Shell is funding the development and pilot implementation of a new teacher professional development program ("PRIME TIME HomeRoom") which will distill the proven, evidence-based PRIME TIME methodologies into a format that educators can quickly and effectively utilize in Pre-K through 4th grade classrooms. "The Shell partnership will truly be transformational for educational improvement in Louisiana and the rest of the Gulf South," stated Miranda Restovic, PRIME TIME Director and Acting LEH Deputy Director. "Over the three years of this projected partnership, more than 2,000 children and their parents, as well as some 500 classroom teachers, will be directly impacted; I am ecstatic that a committed, visionary company like Shell has the resources, capability, and interest in collaborating to bring such a tremendous, positive impact across the Gulf South."

"Shell is proud of its new partnership with the LEH and PRIME TIME to support family literacy across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast," stated John Hollowell, Executive Vice President, Deep Water, Shell Upstream Americas, the company's top official in Louisiana. "This program, along with the PRIME TIME 'HomeRoom' teacher professional development training, will support Shell's continued commitment to education in the communities where our employees work and live."

Part of the significance of the Shell-PRIME TIME partnership is its timing. Just as PRIME TIME's successful track record and aggressive strategic planning have positioned the program for a marked increase in impact, the LEH's state appropriations have suffered more than a 75 percent cut over just the past few years. Therefore, Shell's support stabilizes the LEH's delivery of PRIME TIME across Louisiana, while also fueling a dynamic, national program expansion - allowing a successful Louisiana/LEH-developed family literacy model to be exported across four other states. The LEH and PRIME TIME staff is sincerely grateful to Shell for its forward-thinking philanthropy.  

Zapps Potato Chips President Roderick P. "Rod" Olson recently made a two-year, $60,000 pledge to the LEH, vastly expanding the company's philanthropic commitments. Two-thirds of the cash and in-kind donation will support the PRIME TIME Family Reading Time program across Louisiana, as well as in other states bordering the Gulf Coast. The remaining third will support the LEH's Annual Fund - which has become increasingly essential in this period of significant reductions in state funding. "Zapp's is excited to be sponsoring PRIME TIME across Louisiana and the gulf region," stated Mr. Olson. "There is no greater gift than to help create the love and joy of reading. The LEH makes a positive difference in the lives it touches and Zapp's wants to participate in making that happen."

Mr. Olson's personal commitment to the LEH's mission also includes membership on the Board of Directors, as well as the Board Development Committee. We deeply appreciate Rod for his generosity and dedication to improving Louisiana's future, one family at a time.

Through her first experience as a PRIME TIME storyteller, Melissa Elliot came to truly understand PRIME TIME's ability to build up families and communities through reading and humanities discussion.

In an entry titled "Relationships in the Village," Ms. Elliot (an educator in the local public school system) details how the successful implementation of PRIME TIME at the Stair Public Library in Morenci, Michigan impacted program participants as well as others in the larger community who did not participate in the program. Click here to read Melissa's essay.

PRIME TIME in Michigan is sponsored and administered by the Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) and the Kalamazoo Public Library. Michigan has been a PRIME TIME affiliate state since 2001. From 2001 to 2010, agencies within the state have implemented 34 PRIME TIME programs. The LEH appreciates, the Michigan Humanities Council and the Kalamazoo Library for their tireless commitments to literacy and the humanities. Thanks as well to the funders and partners who support their efforts.

The Louisiana Library & Media Professionals (LALAMP) group will host their annual tour September 12th - 15th. PRIME TIME staff will join other exhibitors to meet public and school librarians from around the state and to survey these professionals about the programming needs of their students and families.  Approximately 50% of PRIME TIME programs are implemented in schools.

The Louisiana Association of Library and Media Professionals was created to provide librarians with opportunities to continue their professional development, and to offer additional resources through exhibits and workshops. LA LAMP exists to serve librarians and other information and media professionals, especially those here in Louisiana.

TheTour is free, and offers free workshops, the opportunity to meet with authors, and to visit with exhibitors. The dates, locations, and attending PRIME TIME staff members for LALAMP 2011 are listed below.  Details on the locations and sessions are available at www.lalamp.org.

September 12, 2011, Ruston - Lincoln Parish Library

(Faye Flanagan, Senior Consultant)
September 13, 2011, Lafayette - East Bayou Baptist Church

(Holly Bell, Assistant Director)
September 14, 2011, Baton Rouge - LA Resource Center for Educators (Shantrell Adams, Associate Director)

September 15, 2011, New Orleans - Gates of Prayer - Metairie

(Chris Robért, Program Assistant)