The Daily Bulletin Archive

Project Flight and the Governor's Office are pleased to present the Martin Luther King Jr. Literacy Awards on Thursday, February 5. In promoting literacy for the children of New York, Project Flight founded a partnership in 2004 with the governor and his offices to establish the Martin Luther King Literacy Initiative “Leaders Are Readers” program. This program is held in New York City, Albany, and Buffalo, representing the three areas of the state. 2015 is the 11th year that Project Flight, and now its new partner, the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, will celebrate the Martin Luther King Jr. New York State Literacy Initiative.

For 20 years, Project Flight, a not-for-profit literacy organization, has worked to promote literacy throughout Western New York and the world through school and family literacy initiatives. The Buffalo and Erie County Public Library has historically been a purveyor of literacy for all who walk through its doors. This year, Project Flight provided books and learning materials to three schools in need in the Western New York area. Buffalo is ranked third for children in poverty in the country. William L. Hill Jr., assistant commissioner of the New York State Office of Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses and Community Relations, will represent the governor at this year’s event.

The three winners are as follows: Holmes Elementary received the top award, and Frank A. Sedita Academy (School 30) and John T. Waugh Elementary School received honorable mentions. These schools are the selected recipients of this year’s Martin Luther King Literacy Initiative, receiving over 2,000 books and materials. Along with the promise to promote literacy in school and at home, each of the three schools must provide a specific program that promotes Dr. King's vision of equality and justice through literacy as well as develop a relationship between the school and its local library.

Project Flight’s mission is to see every child have a book and read it at grade level. Project Flight sees literacy as a way out of poverty and strives to place every child in a literate environment, whether at home or at school. Since 2004, this program has donated over 126,000 books, worth approximately $951,413, to 23 schools.