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Madison – The 25^th Plains Regional Reading Conference is set for September 16-19 in Rapid City. Over three thousand teachers, librarians, administrators, authors and reading specialists will meet at the Rapid City Civic Center for the annual conference. The conference theme, Reading: A Tapestry of Diversity, emphasizes the importance of literacy to all. The conference provides the most current strategies to develop reading skills and the love of literacy across all ages and groups. South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska make up the Plains Region, an affiliate of the International Reading Association.

"Over twenty speakers from twenty-eight states in the nation and Canada will talk on reading curriculum and how important it is," said Vicki Sterling, program chairperson and professor of education at Dakota State University. Ashley Bryan, Patricia Polacco, Jerry Spinelli and Bryd Baylor are a few of the distinguished children’s authors and illustrators who will add their talents to the conference tapestry. Reading specialists Linda Bambrell and Carol Hurst will also add their expertise.

The theme was selected by the South Dakota Reading Council. The theme was chosen to bring out the uniqueness of diversity in reading. "All components of reading are separate, but because they are interwoven, the tapestry is complete," said Linda Venekamp, publicity chairperson and professor of education at DSU.

A group of six individuals spent the last three years developing the conference. The group included Venekamp and Sterling; Betty Bowers, secretary, also of Dakota State; Terri Jaspers, treasurer; Teri McLellan, chairperson of conference; and Helen Ladner, on-site chairperson.

For more information about registration and cost, please contact Teri McLellan at 605-964-6225. Onsite registration is available.

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