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 March 15, 2010
Naperville, IL – Super Reader, Nicor’s costumed superhero, will arrive at Smith Elementary School in Aurora during National Reading Month on Thursday, March 18th. Students will be recognized at an assembly for successfully completing this year’s Adventures in Reading with Nicor program and reading nearly 6,000 books.
“During their second year of participation in Nicor’s reading program, Smith students have surpassed expectations by reading thousands of books. We are very proud of them and pleased to provide the materials and encouragement that will help them to be stronger readers,” said Claudia Colalillo, Senior Vice President Human Resources and Philanthropy for Nicor Inc. and Nicor Gas.
Smith School’s K-3rd grade students will be treated to a visit from Nicor’s Super Reader, who will wrap up this year’s program at an assembly where he will personally congratulate the students for becoming “super readers.”
Adventures in Reading with Nicor is a unique reading program designed to foster a life-long love of reading among children through a four-pronged approach: providing free books to students and their parents, presenting professional development training for teachers and special coaching sessions for parents, contributing motivational prizes and activities, and providing Nicor volunteers for each of the events.
The Adventures in Reading with Nicor program began in 2006, and since then has been administered at three schools within Nicor’s service territory. To launch the program, Nicor partnered with the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit children's literacy organization, Reading Is Fundamental (RIF). RIF has been developing and implementing programs to help encourage children to read since 1966. For information on Reading Is Fundamental, visit www.rif.org.
Since the program’s inception, more than 7,000 students have been encouraged to read over 130,000 books. To find out more about Adventures in Reading visit www.nicor.com.
Nicor Inc. (NYSE: GAS) is a holding company and is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Its primary business is Nicor Gas, one of the nation’s largest natural gas distribution companies. Nicor owns Tropical Shipping, a containerized shipping business serving the Caribbean region and the Bahamas. In addition, the company owns and has an equity interest in several energy-related businesses. For more information, visit the Nicor Web site at www.nicor.com. | 
