Capstone Digital Awards Grants to Improve Literacy in Schools

Online, August 23, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Capstone Digital, developer of personalized literacy environments for students, announces the recipients of its CARE (Capstone Assisting Remarkable Educators) grants, a program focused on improving literacy in schools. More than 30 schools from 20 school districts across the country have been awarded matching grants, funding dollar for dollar their purchase of myON reader, an online personalized literacy environment that matches students' interests and reading levels to a recommended booklist of more than 1,300 enhanced digital books.

"We're thrilled to help offset the federal funding many educators were counting on and offer these remarkable schools access to the resources and tools that will provide unlimited reading and learning opportunities for their students," said Todd Brekhus, President of Capstone Digital.

Recipients of the 2011 CARE grant funding are:

• Peoria Unified School District 11/Cotton Boll Elementary (AZ)
• Hongwanji Mission School (HI)
• St. Francis School (HI)
• Dolton School District #149 (IL)
• Pembroke Community School District #259 (IL)
• Strassburg Elementary School, Community Consolidated School District #168 (IL)
• Merrillville Community Schools (IN)
• Mount Washington Elementary School, Bullitt County Public Schools (KY)
• Elkhorn Elementary School, Franklin County Public School District (KY)
• Kalamazoo Learning Center (MI)
• Barber Focus Academy (MI)
• Henry Ford Academy (MI)
• Woodward Academy (MI)
• Middlesex Public School District (NJ)
• LaFayette Estates Elementary School Woodbridge Township School District (NJ)
• Gateway Elementary School (TN)
• Sylvan Park Paideia Design Center (TN)
• Watt Hardison Elementary (TN)
• Kline Whitis Elementary, Lampasas Independent School District (TX)
• Piney Point Elementary, Houston ISD (TX)

Julie Salvato, CARE Grant recipient and Librarian in the Lampasas School District said, "In today's world of fast paced, computer literate students, it is becoming clear that schools need to change the way education is offered in order to obtain the academic results that are desired. It is our district's belief that myON will positively impact the students that we serve."

As a result of the massive cuts in federal government programs, including the Improving Literacy through School Libraries Program, all K-12 public, private, parochial or charter schools in the United States were encouraged to apply for up to $2 million in matching CARE grants towards the purchase of myON reader, a personalized literacy environment that focuses on increasing student literacy rates.

myON reader provides students with a unique online environment where they have access to the largest digital library with reading supports, including audio, highlighting and embedded dictionary, gives teachers access to personalize reading programs for their students, and gives administrators the ability to monitor and forecast reading growth based on class, grade, building and district.

For more information on myON reader, visit www.TheFutureinReading.com.

About Capstone Digital
Capstone Digital, a division of Capstone, develops personalized learning environments and interactive resources. Offerings include digital books, research databases and personalized reading platforms, all designed to increase fluency and reading levels for PreK-9 students. Using Capstone Digital products, students gain confidence in their abilities, take ownership in their reading growth, and achieve success across the curriculum. For more information, visit www.CapstoneDigital.com.

About Capstone
Capstone is a leading publisher of children's books and digital products and services, offering everything from nonfiction, fiction, and picture books to interactive books, research databases, and literacy programs. Imprints and divisions include Capstone Press, Compass Point Books, Heinemann-Raintree, Heinemann-Raintree Classroom, Picture Window Books, Stone Arch Books, and Capstone Digital. For more information, visit www.CapstonePub.com. Connect with them at http://Connect.CapstonePub.com.