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KPA, KNNIE partner in statewide literacy project What do a boy, his dog, a really big pickle and a newspaper have in common? All are at the heart of the Kentucky Network for Newspaper in Education’s new statewide literacy project — and your newspaper can be a part of the action. The project, never attempted in any other state, will have newspapers publishing and readers reading the same chapter story during the same time frame. Already, 23 newspapers across the state, dailies and weeklies, have signed up to participate, according to KNNIE chairperson and KPA Circulation Division chairperson Kriss Johnson. “Luke in a Really Big Pickle,” is an adorable seven-week chapter story geared for elementary children, their families and teachers. It was written by Kentucky authors Marcia Thornton Jones and Debbie Dadey, both from Henderson, and illustrated by the Lexington Herald-Leader’s nationally syndicated artist, Chris Ware. This story was written just for newspaper publication and can’t be found in any other form. Newspapers that participate will publish the first chapter of this seven-week story during the week of Sept. 10. The papers will continue to run one chapter a week until the conclusion of the story in October. Newspapers pick the day of the week they publish the chapter, each of which is about 1,000 words and includes an illustration. The papers are encouraged to search out local sponsorship and run local contests along with the literacy project. There is no charge to KPA member papers. As a sponsor, KPA has agreed to pay the publishing rights for “Luke in a Really Big Pickle” story for any Kentucky newspaper who joins the project. All you have to do is provide the space. KET is a partner in the project, too. Plans are being made to do two 15-minute satellite taping sessions — one with the authors and one with the illustrator. These sessions can be seen by all Kentucky public schools, libraries and many private schools. KET will market the literacy project in their website and with their teacher calendar. Commitments from newspapers are needed immediately. “Because a lot of the extra frills still depend on funding, KNNIE is looking for a statewide sponsor,” said Johnson. “Funding is needed to pay the costs for the author and illustrator expenses, T-shirts, and to help create a ‘blank book’ for Kentucky readers to attach each chapter into as the story is published each week. The book can be a keepsake for the project and can also be used by classroom teachers. “We’re hoping to talk with book stores and other major chains this summer,” said Johnson. “The more newspapers who sign up to participate, the more interest we’ll get from sponsors.” Deadline to sign up to participate in the literacy project is July 13. Kentucky newspapers that sign up by this date will have their logo included on the back page of keepsake book. For more information, contact Kriss Johnson, educational outreach manager at the Lexington Herald-Leader, (859) 231-3353.
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