House Concurrent Resolution 30

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE COMMITMENT OF MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOR ITS CONTINUAL COMMITMENT TO PROMOTING AND ENHANCING EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY THROUGH ITS EXCELLENCE OF PRODUCTION OF THE "BETWEEN THE LIONS" EDUCATIONAL SERIES AND CONGRATULATING THE SHOW UPON WINNING TWO DAYTIME CREATIVE ARTS EMMYS AT THE 2009 EMMY AWARDS.

WHEREAS, since its launch in 2000 on PBS KIDS to critical acclaim and the delight of young viewers, parents and educators, "Between the Lions" educational series has proven that it is successful in its mission of helping children learn how to read, and continues to foster quality early childhood education programs as evidenced by series' receipt of two Daytime Creative Arts Emmys at the 2009 Emmy Awards in the categories of Outstanding Preschool Children's Series and Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series; and

WHEREAS, by showcasing the power and pleasure of reading and including segments that foster language development and early literacy skills, "Between the Lions" episodes address the five key areas of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension; and

WHEREAS, produced at the studios of Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) in Jackson, Mississippi, since 2005 after collaborating with WGBH Boston and Sirius Thinking, Ltd. of New York, "Between the Lions" builds on the foundational layer for preschool viewers, while also expanding coverage of the kindergarten and first grade curriculum content by offering a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to reading instruction; and

WHEREAS, the series is the centerpiece of the multimedia Between the Lions Preschool Literacy Initiative, a partnership of MPB, WGBH, the Barksdale Reading Institute, Sirius Thinking, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the United States Department of Education and the Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute, that includes a Web site, books, videos, parent workshops, teachers’ guides, and other outreach materials, impacting the lives of countless children in all 82 Mississippi counties; and

WHEREAS, on hand for the presentation of the awards were Mississippians Scott Colwell, Diane Hartman and Rick Klein, who were recognized as members of the production teams for the Outstanding Preschool Children's Series award, also present was Jackson native, Keri Grayson, who was recognized as a member of the writing team for the Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series award, and accepted the award on the writing team's behalf; and

WHEREAS, in addition to the on screen accomplishments, 2009 proved to be a stellar year of achievement for "Between the Lions," with the series being honored with the Parents' Choice Gold Award by the Parents' Choice Foundation, the foundation's highest level of recognition, and recognition of the Between the Lions Preschool Literacy Initiative in a national study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School of Communication; and

WHEREAS, each day the beloved Lions' cast, Theo and Cleo and their cubs, Lionel and Leona, are welcomed into homes across the state, from the seemingly infinite fields of the westerly delta traced by the winding waters of the Mighty Mississippi, to the rolling hills of the east, and from the coastal sands of the serene south, to the flatwoods and ridges of the northern highlands, stimulating the minds of impressionable and educable children to develop a love of reading and to understand the importance of doing so; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to acknowledge the outstanding works of such organizations as Mississippi Public Broadcasting, which has set a national bar of greatness and benchmark for excellence through its successful promotion of the limitless possibilities of educational achievement, and which has bestowed great pride upon the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the commitment of Mississippi Public Broadcasting for its continual commitment to promoting and enhancing early childhood literacy through its excellent production of the "Between the Lions" educational series, congratulate the show upon winning two Daytime Creative Arts Emmys at the 2009 Emmy Awards and extend most grateful appreciation and wishes for continued success in all of its future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mississippi Public Broadcasting, WGBH Boston, Sirius Thinking, Ltd. of New York and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.