FIU Professor Wins Grant for Elementary School

MIAMI, Fla. (May 2, 2001) - Florida International University College of Education Assistant Professor Delia Garcia's work in the area of family English literacy has been rewarded with a grant worth $50,000 from the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, school officials announced today.

The FLASH at Finlay Project -- which is being implemented at Carlos J. Finlay Elementary School at FIU, the nation's only bilingual professional development school -- provides concentrated English language literacy instruction and intergenerational reading activities for children and parents affiliated with the school

"We are excited to be able to offer families an opportunity to assume a more active and empowering role in their children's education," said Garcia. "This project is designed to help the whole family."

"This FLASH program will affect the futures of families for years to come," said Lourdes Gimenez, principal of Carlos J. Finlay Elementary School.

The Bush Foundation's 11 winning grant applications were chosen from 484 proposals submitted by a wide variety of private non-profit organizations -- libraries, correctional institutions, universities, housing projects and public schools. Each of the 11 will receive grants ranging in size from $17,000 to $50,000.

"One of the single greatest predictors of a child's success in school is parental involvement," said FIU's College of Education Dean Linda Blanton. "With this program, we can assure ourselves that parents and children will take the time to read together, hence encouraging family literacy."

FIU's College of Education is the top producer of school teachers in Miami-Dade County - the nation's fourth-largest public school district in the United States.

Media contacts: Todd Martinez-Padilla Simmons (305) 348-2716 or 2232 David Umansky (202) 357-2627, ext. 106.