NEW ORLEANS WILL Work Hard To Improve Our City

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Yesterday’s Turn the Page event at the New Orleans Public Library was a huge success. More than 400 children filled the library to help break the current record in the “Guinness World Records” book for Largest Reading Lesson, which they accomplished in true New Orleans fashion. The campaign organizers were joined by Mayor Landrieu, Irvin Mayfield, Wendell Pierce, Glen David Andrews, and many more musicians, teachers, politicians, and overall supporters to create a positive awareness about literacy in New Orleans. The ongoing campaign’s goal is to gather support and resources to help New Orleans become the most literate city in America by the city’s tricentennial in 2018.

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(photo by Valerie Boucvalt)

NEW ORLEANS WILL was lucky enough to be at this momentous event yesterday to witness the record-breaking reading lesson and story time. There was electricity in the room as Wendell Pierce read from the book, “The Bourbon Street Band is Back,” written by Ed Shankman and illustrated by Dave O’Neill, as Irvin Mayfield and his legendary musical friends provided the story with a true New Orleans soundtrack. The horns blew and the drums beat, and the children bobbed their heads and tapped their feet.

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(photo by Valerie Boucvalt)

This is exactly the kind of spirit, hard work, and will that has brought our city to new heights in recent years. The attitude of our fellow citizens is one of hope and progress, and the literacy campaign Turn the Page is a prime example of how New Orleanians work as hard as they play.

Not only does an event like this one strengthen the fabric of our community and keep our eyes set on ambitious and lofty goals, but it also grows our reputation around the world. The more we work for each other, the more people in cities all over take notice, and they come to visit, live, and work in our city, bringing new opportunities, and even more importantly, dollars that play a huge roll in strengthening our economy.

With the dedicated, loyal citizens that we have, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish. What other goals do you want New Orleans to accomplish?