Media Alert

Writers in the Schools (WITS)

www.witshouston.org

For Immediate Release                                   Media Contact: Jennifer Watson

Wednesday, October 20, 2011                        713-523-3877/713-443-8014

What:  Country music legend Allen Shamblin to share anti bullying anthem at Looscan Elementary

Allen Shamblin, a legendary Texan songwriter and recent Hall of Famer will visit Looscan Elementary School on November 3, 2011 from 1:30 pm  to 2:30 pm to talk to children about the book, Don’t Laugh at Me, which he co-wrote with Steve Seskin. Don’t Laugh at Me illustrates the horrors of bullying experienced by a boy with glasses, a girl who wears braces and a wheelchair-bound child, among others. The book has been translated into several languages, and with its accompanying music CD, has become a resounding anthem and educational resource to teach anti bullying tactics worldwide.

Shamblin follows his visit to Looscan with a musical performance at the Junior League at 7:00 PM for A Celebration of Story benefiting Writers in the Schools. Proceeds from the dinner and silent auction will provide yearlong literacy programs for underserved students in schools, hospitals, community centers, parks, hospitals, and homeless shelters. More information about the event can be found at www.witshouston.org/celebration-story.

Interview opportunities

Preceding his visit to Houston, Allen Shamblin, will be available for phone interviews on Friday, October 21, 2011. He also will be available for media during the school visit on November 3, 2011.

When: November 3, 2011, 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Where: Looscan Elementary, 3800 Robertson St, Houston, TX.

Onsite contact: Jennifer Watson at jwatson@witshouston.org or call 713.523.3877 to schedule an interview.

About Writers in the Schools

Writers in the Schools (WITS), a local non-profit organization, provides students with year-long creative writing programs in schools, community centers, hospitals, and homeless shelters. WITS writers work in year-long programs in over 350 classrooms in order to help students develop their creative and analytical thinking skills. In 10 years of data, WITS students show marked improvement in literacy skills and higher standardized test scores. WITS was ranked the #1 literary organization in the state by the Texas Commission on the Arts.

About Allen Shamblin

With the tremendous popularity and critical acclaim of his song "He Walked on Water," songwriter Allen Shamblin has positioned himself among the great storytellers who has given country music its legacy and continuous popularity. Shamblin was born in Tennessee and grew up in Huffman, Texas, a small town about thirty miles northeast of Houston. To date, Shamblin has had more than 100 songs recorded by such artists as Wynonna, Patty Loveless, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Bette Midler, Ricky Van Shelton, Dolly Parton, Ricky Scaggs, John Berry, Kathy Mattea, Susan Ashton, "Prince" and others. This year Shamblin will be honored in the 2011 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

###