Katy, TX News – Promise to Read Program Benefits Katy ISD Students
Katy, TX News (November 24, 2014) – Community members, businesses and organizations across Katy came together over the past two weeks to bring the love of reading into nearly 500 Katy ISD classrooms. The annual reading program is part of a 17-year-old tradition lead by the Katy ISD Partners in Education department that brings the community into the classroom. Through Promise to Read, the program provides the business community a unique opportunity to reacquaint themselves with the world of children’s literature by spending 30 minutes reading to a classroom full of excited elementary students. The program currently runs for two weeks at 13 elementary campuses each year in November.
This year’s Promise to Read event was hosted with Partners in Education at: Hays, Holland, Katy, Memorial Parkway, Schmalz, Shafer, Stanley, Stephens, Sundown, West Memorial, Wolfe, Wolman and WoodCreek elementary schools. Host campuses rotate each year so that, over a three year period, every Katy ISD elementary has an opportunity to participate.
“Promise to Read has become a treasured community event thanks to hundreds of devoted community volunteers, many of whom join us every year, and our Katy ISD host campuses,” says Janet Theis, Katy ISD’s Director of Community Partnerships. “Promise to Read continues to open the door for our business community to embrace and inspire the love of reading and share that magic with classrooms across the district.”
Readers represented a cross section of local companies and organizations including: H-E-B, Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union, AXA Advisors, McDonald’s, Tradition Bank, Second Baptist Church, Katy Memorial Hermann Hospital, CenterPoint Energy, Members Choice Credit Union, The Shady Lady Window Coverings, Children’s Lighthouse, Pepper Lawson Construction, Omni Hotels, Christian Brothers Automotive, Pump It Up, Junior Achievement, Herff Jones Graduation Center, Firethorne, Bicycle World, Spring Creek Barbeque, Katy Fire Department, Mar-Mar’s Candy Jar, KCC Orthodontics, HCC NW, Edward Jones, Johnny’s Pizza House, Two Forks Catering, Adams Law Firm, Sylvan Learning, Harris County Public Library, Houston SPCA, Schakolad Chocolate Factory, Chick-fil-A Mason Road and Chick-fil-A Cinco Ranch, KVPAC, Dignity Memorial Katy Funeral Home, Houston Museum of Natural Science, PUPS – Prevent Unwanted Pets, Tutor Doctor, Katy Area Chamber of Commerce, St. Peter’s United Methodist Church, Texas Taxi, Cross Community Church, Cotton Holdings, Costco Wholesale, Thomas C. Harrison, DDS, Inc., Amegy Bank, Westpark Springs Hospital, Spectra Energy, City of Katy Senior Center, Keep Katy Beautiful, Marriott Energy Corridor Hotel, PBK Architects, Grand Vision Center, Gina Cornelius Swim Academy, Krenzien, Krenzien & Associates, Tista’s Fine Furniture and many other Katy community members and area businesses.
Promise to Read is one of several community involvement programs offered by Katy ISD Partners in Education and essentially fulfills the mission of bringing the community into the classroom. Find more information about Partners in Education on the Katy ISD website.
