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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS Multi-media community engagement campaigns or initiatives often grant-funded and based on PBS programs and other national and local public broadcasting programs; focusing on relevant local issues while targeting diverse audiences through activities and events. Current Projects Read Together Palm Beach County 2012 PURPOSE: To involve 10,000 - 20,000 adults throughout Palm Beach County in reading the same book at the same time. This community reading campaign will entice adults who can read, but often don't, to get involved in the habit of reading again. It will also promote community dialogue and engagement as citizens gather together to discuss key themes. HISTORY: Based on the success of similar campaigns in Seattle and Chicago, the Campaign Coordinating Committee has conducted Read Together Palm Beach County in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010. In each campaign, thousands of adults read and discussed with great enthusiasm the chosen community book: Fahrenheit 451, Their Eyes Were Watching God, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Memory Keeper's Daughter and The Book Thief. RECOGNITION: Former Gov. Jeb Bush wrote to every city in Florida and encouraged them to form "One Book, One Community" reading campaigns based on the Palm Beach County model. Read Together Palm Beach County produced a handbook on how to conduct a similar reading campaign and Former Governor Bush urged municipalities to use this book to guide them in their campaigns. PARTICIPANTS: Businesses, libraries, chambers of commerce, municipalities, local book clubs, neighborhood associations and many other groups. Click Here for more information from the Literacy Coalition. Summer 2011 BOOK Drive & Reading Club LEAP into a Great Story GOAL Donate 2,000 books to the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County HOW? go to www.COOLreadings.com Register & Read Online (with parent) It's FREE and for every book you read online, our friends at WeGiveBooks.org will donate a new book!   Ongoing Projects PBS KIDS! Ready To Learn Preparing Children for School Through Educational Television, Free Books, and Parent/Caregiver Support  Read more... Tri-County Literacy Initiative for Adults & Families WXEL plans literacy activities and events for adults and families through partnerships and collaborations with strategic literacy organizations in the tri-county area.  Read more... GED Connection Part of the LiteracyLink Project, airs on WXEL Television Fridays at 1:00pm.   Read more... Annual Projects Annual WXEL Holiday Book Drive This holiday book drive allows WXEL to distribute hundreds more NEW children’s books to parents and educators of at-risk children ages 2 to 8.  The books collected during this holiday drive will be distributed by the WXEL Outreach Coordinator at sites throughout the community.  Read more...    Read-for-the-Record An annual campaign by the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County which takes place every Fall... the WXEL education team orders and distributes the featured book at designated Ready To Learn sites.  Read more... Read Together Palm Beach County A countywide reading campaign, chosen books are discussed at work, in book discussion groups, in neighborhoods, clubs, libraries, religious organizations and Read Together events. During each campaign, approximately 20,000 to 30,000 people participate.  Read more... Families Reading Together This event serves to remind the community of the importance of sharing books with children and encouraging them to read on their own. This project is made possible by community sponsors and all events are free to the public.  Read more... PBS KIDS GO! WRITERS CONTEST Annual Competition Fosters Reading, Writing and Creativity For more information about WXEL Community Projects, please contact us here.