Phillis Wheatley Elementary School in Milwaukee and its local literacy partner, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s Council of Small Business Executives (COSBE), held a special celebration recently in recognition of receiving Reading Is Fundamental’s (RIF) Program Excellence Honors Award for 2008. The partnership was one of 25 selected from approximately 3,500 RIF programs nationwide for successfully partnering to advance children’s literacy in their communities. Phillis Wheatley, a Milwaukee Public School, serving 230 children, has had a partnership with COSBE for 16 years. Over that time, COSBE has raised more than $50,000 for the program, which includes funding books for students and other enrichment activities like literacy field trips.
