On Monday, September 9, the International Reading Association (IRA) celebrated International Literacy Day with an exclusive event at The Whittemore House in Washington, DC.

The program centered on the theme of career readiness and featured speakers Alma Powell from America’s Promise Alliance, IRA President Maureen McLaughlin, and a panel including Glenn Marshall from the National Association for Manufacturing Excellence, English/Reading Specialist Ann Kennedy from Arlington Mill High School, Rich Carson from Rotary International, and Jaimie Matthews from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. IRA Director of Government Relations Richard Long moderated.

The event was enriched by a question-and-answer segment at the end, where attendees enjoyed the opportunity to ask the speakers questions and hear insightful responses to their organizations’ specific challenges.

Alma Powell

Alma Powell and Maureen McLaughlin

Ann Kennedy, Jaimie Matthews, Rich Carson, and Glenn Marshall

Glenn Marshall, Alma Powell, Maureen McLaughlin, Jaimie Matthews, Ann Kennedy, Richard Long, and Rich Carson

More details of the Washington, DC event and other projects in IRA’s International Literacy Day celebration will be featured in the next issue of Reading Today, IRA’s bimonthly member magazine. For more information about this event, read the press release.