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First Lady Laura Bush yesterday delivered a grant of nearly $14 million to help New Jersey's largest school district assist struggling readers over the next five years.
The grant, one of only eight awarded nationally, is aimed at helping middle-school and high-school students who are behind in reading ability. About 140 school districts had applied for the money.
Before presenting the check to about 50 district administrators in the library of the Avon Avenue Elementary School in Newark, Bush met with a sixth-grade class.
The former school librarian watched as nine students completed a group writing project, and then she spoke with them about their favorite books.
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