State and local leaders, as well as representatives from the county and state Department of Education gathered at Valley Elementary School in Pelham Friday to announce Shelby County Schools will be among the latest school systems to participate in the Toyota Family Literacy Program.

According to Toyota, Shelby County Schools will receive a $600,0000 contribution including a $350,0000 grant to launch the programs at Valley Elementary in Pelham and Creek View Elementary and Meadow View Elementary in Alabaster.

Toyota will also provide funding for three years of comprehensive support from the National Center for Family Literacy including training, educational materials and assistance in launching the programs.

The program is also being expanded to fast-growing Hispanic populations including Detroit; Chelsea (Boston), Mass; Santa Paula, Calif. and Denver.

The program aims to increase basic language and literacy skills among Hispanic and other immigrant families and provide parents with the skills they need to help their children in school.

It is specifically aimed at K-3 children and their parents.

While Shelby County School Superintendent Evan Major could not attend the kickoff press conference for the program Friday, he said, &8220;This program will allow us to more effectively meet the needs of our immigrant and language minority families in our schools and provides us with a strong model of parental involvement.&8221;

Dr. Charlotte Draper, assistant superintendent of Education for Shelby County Schools said Shelby County is one of five school systems in the nation to receive the program.

She said the Shelby County School System speaks 64 languages and that the partnership would not only help students, but also serve as a bridge across diversity.

Brenda Logan, director of the Toyota Family Literacy Program said the results have been tremendous for 23,0000 families followed in the program for the past 15 years.

She said since 2003 demand for the program has been overwhelming.

&8220;Hispanic population increased 450 percent between 1990 and 2000 and since 2004 there has been another 60 percent increase,&8221; she said.

&8220;When parents are involved they are more connected to school, help with homework and teachers can answer questions.

&8220;Shelby County, you are playing a major role in the nation in a two generation approach. Other communities will learn from what you are doing.&8221;

Jim Bolte, senior vice president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama Inc. said, &8220;We are very excited. In fact we are thrilled to be at the center of family literacy.&8221;

He applauded Shelby County Schools and the National Center for Family Literacy for working so hard to make Friday&8217;s announcement reality.

Bolte said he was blessed to have parents who could speak English to help him with his homework. He said he was the first person on either side of his family to graduate college and it all started at home. He said Toyota believes in family, education and this partnership.

He also said one day he would like to hire one of these kids (from Shelby County) at an engine plant in Huntsville.

Alabaster Mayor David Frings said a company like Toyota didn&8217;t have to sponsor this program for publicity.

He said he felt Toyota&8217;s support comes, instead, from &8220;generosity of the heart.&8221;

&8220;I just think it is a great program and I&8217;ll do all I can to help it along,&8221; said Frings.

Pelham Mayor Bobby Hayes said, &8220;We also are excited. We think that with Valley School being a part of this, it is a great thing for our community.

Hayes said if non-English speaking persons can understand what the city does and what it has to offer, it would be good for the community.

He said of the Toyota Family Literacy Program, &8220;To get help like this is tremendous.

Hayes said with the program, non English speakers &8220;can and will be an active part of our community&8221; and said, &8220;That&8217;s a positive.&8221;

Belen Cervantes and her daughter Jennifer Adan Cervantes from Meadow View Elementary were stars for the day.

Belen addressed the crowd on hand. She said the program has made her more confident reading English to her daughter and talking with her daughter&8217;s teacher.

Others like Lucrecia Sierra and her daughter Jennifer Sierra were also able to demonstrate the way the program helps both the child and parent.

&8220;I feel happy because I know what she is doing in the room. She is learning and she&8217;s happy because I can help. I&8217;m learning (too),&8221; Lucrecia said.

Fabiola Valencia and her daughter Leslie were also in attendance. Fabiola said, &8220;I feel very good. Learning more English and reading, working the homework and helping her with reading and math.

Bolte who talked with some of the parents and their children participating in the program said, &8220;This program has a lot of the came core values Toyota has in terms of education, family, investing in the future.&8221;

Bolte said he had not doubt the program will help in Shelby County because he&8217;s seen it in five cities.

&8220;I would hope this will be a model for the rest of Alabama and the Southeast and reaches through the rest of the U.S. We are just planting seeds.&8221;

Also recognized on Friday were Creek View Elementary School Principal Mary Wyatt; Meadow View Elementary School Principal Dr., Jody Brewer and Valley Elementary School Principal Reisa Thornton Brooks.

According to the National Center for Family Literacy the sites in Pelham and Alabaster serve from 9-26 percent English language learners