SANTA FE - Students in New Mexico joined with over 2 million others across the globe to set a new world reading record. The record-setting event took place on Thursday, October 6th when Governor Susana Martinez and Public Education Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera joined 75,723 adults to read the book Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney to 2,184,155 children. These numbers were enough to set a new Guinness World Record for the world's largest shared reading experience.

“Our children deserve nothing short of the best,” said Governor Martinez. “Everyone should take the time to share the gift of reading with a child because literacy is a gift that will set our students up for success. When we teach our children to read, we teach them there is no obstacle they can't overcome.”

Governor Martinez and Secretary Skandera visited Pre-K classrooms at three New Mexico elementary schools as part of the October 6th effort. At each stop, every child received a free copy of Llama Llama Red Pajama to take home so they could share it with their family.

“A world record is wonderful, but making sure our children can read is essential,” said Secretary Skandera. Part of the focus of the effort was to draw awareness to the importance of reading at an early age. The schools at which the Governor and Secretary Skandera read to students are:
Cesar Chavez Elementary - Santa Fe
Turquoise Trail Charter School - Santa Fe
Pecos Elementary School - Pecos
Nearly 100 children at the 3 schools were joined by parents, teachers and community leaders to help celebrate the event.

Today, Governor Martinez will be reading to pre-K students at Shining Stars Pre-School in Rio Rancho.

Photos from the "Read for the Record" event at Cesar Chavez Elementary School can be found on the Governor's website at http://governor.state.nm.us/October_6_2011_3.aspx.