Rio Hondo College News

MEDIA ALERT
3600 Workman Mill Road / Whittier, CA 90601 / 562-692-0921
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Merle Enriquez   Secretary
Department: Planning and Development
Phone:  (562) 692-0921  Ext. 3412
Rio E-Mail: MEnriquez@riohondo.edu

Whittier Union High School District
9401 South Painter Ave. Whittier, CA 90605
(562) 698-8121

PRESS RELEASE
EXCELLENT PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Valerie Martinez
February 16, 2006  

Whittier Union and Whittier Reads Partner to Bring “Manzanar” Author to Local Schools

“Farewell to Manzanar” Author Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston Will Talk With High School Students at all WUHSD Schools

WHITTIER, CA – Whittier Union High School District and the Whittier Public Library Foundation, through Whittier Reads, a One City/One Book program, are collaborating to bring Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston (co-author with her husband James D. Houston) of Farewell to Manzanar, to each of the District’s high schools to meet with students. Ms. Houston will talk about her experiences and her book and respond to questions from the students during the week of February 20th.

“It is a tremendous learning experience for some of our students to meet and talk with the author of one of the 20th century’s most important books and a person who experienced internment first-hand,” said WUHSD Superintendent Sandra Thorstenson. “We are very grateful to the Whittler Public Library Foundation and Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston for giving our students this extraordinary opportunity.”

In an effort to increase reading awareness and bring the community together for a shared reading experience, the Whittier Reads program encourages all residents to read the same book during the month of February. This is the third year of the Whittier Reads Program. The first year the community read The Friendly Persuasion by Jessamyn West and last year Firoozeh Dumas’ Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America was chosen. Farewell to Manzanar is this year’s Whittier Reads book.

Farewell to Manzanar is the author’s recollections of her internment as a young Japanese-American during World War II. The book was selected for Whittier Reads in part because Internment Camp survivors live in Whittier.

“Whittier Reads is intended to promote the love of reading and to help foster a shared community experience through reading,” said Rose Mary Yetter, chair of Whittier Reads. “We are especially pleased to be able to provide books for local students and give them the opportunity to hear Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston talk about her experiences at Manzanar during World War II.”

The Whittier Library Foundation raised funds to support the program through grants and appeals to the community. The Foundation purchased enough copies of Farewell to Manzanar to distribute one to each 11th grader in the Whittier Union High School District. Depending on the school, students will read the book in their English 3 or U.S. History class.

Whittier Reads activities include a marathon reading of the book, book discussions, showings of the films Farewell to Manzanar and Dear Miss Breed: Letters from Camp, and a panel discussion featuring historians and internees. Ms. Houston will speak at several special events. She will also be honored at a dinner on February 19th. In addition, the Whittier library will feature exhibits and photographs from the camp. Whittier Reads for 2006 will culminate in a daylong bus trip to Manzanar on February 25th.

-RHC-


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