You can help United Animal Nations (UAN) promote the Humane Education Ambassador Reader (HEAR) program!

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan plans to personally read to children throughout the summer to promote the importance of reading. UAN would like to encourage Secretary Duncan to read HEAR books to promote the importance of reading and the importance of kindness toward animals.

You can help support the Humane Education Ambassador Reader (HEAR) program by writing to Secretary Duncan and encouraging him to read HEAR books to children this summer.

Learn more by reading our
press release about how UAN hopes to be involved in the Secretary's plan to read to children throughout the summer.

Choose your favorite HEAR book from the HEAR program's reading list and recommend it to the Secretary.

Address letters to:
Arne Duncan
Secretary of Education
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C 20202

You might also consider writing Secretary Duncan a polite e-mail at arne.duncan@ed.gov encouraging him to read HEAR books this summer.

Thanks for your support!

-Karly

I composed a short letter to Secretary Duncan and sent it via email. I'm not sure about other states but in Delaware, gov't officials seem to prefer email to snail mail.
My letter mentioned a recent incident in the news: 2 juveniles were arrested for burning alive a dog and inviting their friends to watch the dog suffer. I very briefly mentioned to the Secretary that I had written an email to the prosecuter in this case. I also urged the Secretary to use HEAR books during his summer reading campaign in the hopes that humane education delivered in a interesting, fun way to young children could prevent a tragedy like the one I mentioned above. I ed I recommended "Buddy Unchained." This is probably my favorite book on the HEAR list, because it speaks to kids of all ages and this book just seems to draw the kids to it. Today my dog and (trained therapy companion READ dog) visited 3-5 year olds at a day camp. I brought many cardboard and picture books appropriate for preschoolers, but I always have "Buddy Unchained" in my READ bag. Guess which book these little ones wanted to "read?" I asked them to tell me about each page and I find it absolutely amazing that preschoolers immediately displayed concern, sympathy and happiness simply by looking at Buddy's pictures. That's what I tried to convey to Secretary Duncan, but please note that my letter to him was much shorter and to the point than this one. Thank you.
Sue Good, Wilmington, DE

Oh thank you Sue!

We appreciate the supportive letter that you wrote to Secretary Duncan to encourage the use of HEAR program books in the Summer Reading Initiative.

The last day of the Summer Reading Initiative tour is this Friday. It doesn't look like the HEAR program books will make it onto his list this time, but we will keep trying to spread the word about the HEAR program! Keep those creative ideas coming!

Thank you for your support.

-Karly