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Show Today ts National Family Literacy Day: § You Can Take Part J pwas shocked to learn the number of Americans whocan’t iad including onein 10 high schooi graduates.” said Joan Lunden,the ELLES 7)os PARADEFamilyLiteracyInfoLine (1-877-326-5481).“Imagine what it’s like nottobe able tohelp your child with homework.Ifa parent can’t read and doesn’t take part in education, the childis likely to drop he public knew James Ti COUR leg Pai Or Urata RU UL a ae (193k Nand “Bride Cy 933 out and notbeableto find work later on. Poverty is linked toliteracy.” Lunden, 48—-who has a newbook (A Berid in the Road Is Not the Endof the Road) and a new TV show in the works—told us she read to her children all the time, even as babies. She has three daughters: known fis one of Cede Pererrd TV journalist and author, whohaslenther active support to the new Jamie,18, Lindsay, 15, and Sarah, 11. “it was an important part of 1 for Family andby Toyota. Fora scheduleof events today (and all month), call the InfoLineor visit hirp:/Avww:famiit.org on the Web. Readingto her kids was not always easy for Raynice Brumfield, 26, a single motherof four in Washington, D.C. She wasreadingat the second-grade level whenshe joined a National Center program in 1996. She recently earned her GED and = stained. | was embarrassed. LRCasae ee ‘as Whale in “Gods and. eee Umoays ‘week. Thefilm cavers,the BURALONSOi toa literacy specialist, call 1-877-326- Daeahey Areata 5481 weekdays,9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST. that my self-esteem became so much better—I don’t need a cigarette to make everything failure” writtenonit. It’s not going to get smoked. —Kimberly Paulson, 15, La Palma, Calif. melts a damn hat peopl AO aTans Taser I smoked two BE packs a day f from the time CONaae 1ae rua e248)a Mss Patricia Looking for Young Americans Who TAKE ACTION p: you know a youngster like Motly Madden, 16, of Helena, Mont.? She founded a groupthat organizes antibigotry campaignsin her state. This year, Molly was honored as oneoffive top winners of the react Take Action Awards, sponsored by react magazine and the New World Foundation. Now react is again seeking Arnericans aged 12-18 who have made a significant contribution to their school, community, nation and/or the world. Each of the five top winners will get 2 $20,090 college scholarship. Each of the 10 second-prize winners will get |» $1000 for college. Applications are available at www.react.com/takeaction on the Web.Or write: Take Action Awards, react magazine, 711 Third Ave., New-York, N.Y. 10017. Completed applications with details about the young nominees must be received by Dec. 11. Winnerswill be announcedin March. This year's other top winners were Celeste Lopez, 19, of Mesa, Ariz., who publishes a magazine written bythe homeless; Amondo Redmond, 18,of Fit, Mich., who fights teen crime; Ben Smilowitz, 17, of West Hartford, Conn., founder of __ a national students’rights watchdog group; and Jon Wagner-Holtz, 17, of Mis- You onde.rownedétor dowd sionViejo, Calif., who started a support group for children of cancerpatients. cutaay aovarer react things I hated about smoking The biggest reward was not easy. But I look at my par- room which has “You're a aatae oan Lunden(r) with Sharon Darling, president of the National Centerfor Family Literacy rette, | remind myself of all the didn’thave the willpower. It's If youlight up, there is no going back.” T have acigarette in my AYa.¢a(aeLaeTa) o to learnhow to enroll, volunteer your services or donate funds. To speak keep some in my pocket When I have ayenfor a ciga- okay. —Patricia Burnside,19, Philadelphia, Pa. i > s when | was 10. But I play a lot of sports, Rose and I was always running out of breath andhaving pains in my sides: Running laps and smoking just don"t go together My best friend wasalways telling meto quit—lung can cer runs in bothof our fami lies, So I sat down one day It andasked for help from my ty blanketfor of us together forsolong. and 1 was 16, was a securi- me. But I beganto feel bad about myself because 1 was such anaddict, always think | started smoking | self, “If youdothis, you fail CEN Ug ARLYN for public assistance drops 50% carried hard candies topop in my mouth all day long. I still about 20 years, and I know | don’t want to be coughing like that. Any timeI feel the urge to smoke, | say to my- int 1957 with a'suicide by Tees LRN TL Pp L tried before, but | just ents, who've both smokedfor era cards have gonefromnegative to Cail the automated, 24-hour InfoLine Then,all that stopped. felt that I needed something, so | I'm15 now, and I've quit CMa da work. Studies show that the need 12. to look cool. Betore t knew it, I'd My hair smelled. My clothes smelled. My teeth were HA Pine aig now works for George Washington University. “My children’s report positive.” shesaid. “Family literacy has made my future look bri The National Center's programs are helping 60,000families, and they Tcouldn’t concentrate. | was ver anky, and I snapped at Kimberly get moody andnervous if 1 didn’t have a nicotine fix. childrearing,” shesaid. “We pass onthe love ofreading.” Indeed, that is one goalof today ational Family Literacy Day, when families are encouraged toread together. It’s sponsored by the National Center started smoking | when I was friends. There have beensix wedon’t wantto see anything happen to any ofus. They said they'd help me. Like onceI ing about the next sinoke had a date for a dance, and sick—sinus infections, sore they warned me, “You'd bet- was on my chest ter notlight up!” I've triednot to smoke, and I haven't. —Rose Kinder,16, Flint, Mich. AndI knew it was making me throats, a cough. Momings, I wouldfeel as thougha weight So I quit. Cold turkey. For twoweeks, I feit sad. Moody. they all knew he smoked, so |