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Press Releases

***Media Alert***

Topic: VistaPrint.com and The Emily Post Institute Teach Kids to Write this Summer

Who: Etiquette Expert and Author Peggy Post and Cindy Post Senning, Ed.D. Available to Discuss Age Appropriate Summer Writing Activities

Date: June 26 , 2003 in New York City

According to a nationwide survey¹ by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the average child has only basic writing skills. Even more alarming, only one percent of children possess advanced writing skills. While tools that promote reading seem ever present, writing skills may be getting the short shrift.

Does a lack of writing skills limit children as they grow into adulthood? A recent study by Public Agenda² found that the vast majority of employers have serious doubts about public school graduates' basic writing skills.

The good news? Summer is the perfect time for parents to hone in on writing and make it part of their child’s summer experience. Etiquette experts and authors Peggy Post and Cindy Post Senning, Ed.D., co-authors of “The Gift of Good Manners: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Respectful, Kind, Considerate Children” (HarperReference, 2002, $24.95) have teamed up with online printing expert VistaPrint to provide parents with inspiring summer writing kits for children ages 6-18.

“The ability to communicate through writing—to express thanks, to share experiences through letter writing and journaling, to write invitations—is a hallmark of good manners,” says Peggy Post.

“Writing is a life long skill that needs to be fostered from a young age,” states Cindy Post Senning. “By making it fun, by using creative materials and by setting aside time to write with your child, you’ll cultivate a love of writing, the same way so many parents encourage reading.”

By visiting www.VistaPrint.com, parents will find free activity kits designed jointly by Cindy Post Senning, a former elementary school principal and teacher, Peggy Post the author of ten books on etiquette, and VistaPrint the leading online printer.

The kits provide age appropriate, fun, activities that will enable children to practice and enhance both their freehand and online writing skills. The free kit includes specific projects for ages 6-10, 11-14 and 15-18 such as letter writing, postcard writing, summer party invitations, thank you notes and more. Each kit also contains age appropriate tip sheets for parents, developed for this project by Cindy Post Senning and Peggy Post.

About The Emily Post Institute
The Emily Post Institute was created by Emily Post in 1946 and is run today by third generation family members. The work of the Institute includes more than ten books on etiquette, business etiquette seminars, manners classes for children, monthly magazine columns in Good Housekeeping and Parents; Web content on WeddingChannel.com; and the Web site www.emilypost.com. The Posts conduct hundreds of speeches, seminars and media interviews annually and have appeared on programs including “Dr. Phil,” “Today,” “Live with Regis & Kelly,” “The View,” “Good Morning America,” “Oprah,” and “The Early Show.”

About VistaPrint
VistaPrint, the leading online printer, provides families and businesses with personalized, full-color printed products. The unique site enables anyone with Internet access to design completely customized invitations, thank you notes, post cards, return address labels, contact cards and more. By offering business and consumers personalized, full-color printing at the lowest prices, VistaPrint has provided printing services to more than 2.5 million customers. For more information, visit www.vistaprint.com.

To schedule an interview with Peggy Post or Cindy Post Senning, please contact Mark McClennan or Jennifer Barlow at Schwartz Communications. 781-684-0770 or vistaprint@schwartz-pr.com.

¹From the National Assessment of Educational Progress 1998 Writing Report (nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard) Testing of 4th, 8th and 12th grade students.


²From "Where We Are Now" 12 Things You Need To Know About Public Opinion and Public Schools compiled by Public Agenda (www.publicagenda.org) April 23, 2003.

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