Contact: Tom Long Solid Oak Consulting, LLC Phone 708-524-0886 Fax 206-238-2835

522 South Elmwood Avenue Oak Park, IL 60304 Phone 708-524-0886 Fax 206-238-2835

Solid Oak Consulting, LLC

Press Release

April 12, 2004

Local Oak Park Business Leader Is Elected to the Board of the Institute for Positive Living, Sponsor of the Open Book Program

Chicago, IL, April 12, 2004: Local Oak Park business Leader, Tom Long, owner and founder of Solid Oak Consulting, LLC, has been elected to the board of Directors of the Institute for Positive Living, sponsor of the Open Book Program. Open Book is a youth development program that stimulates love of reading through an exciting exploration of literature. Open Book incorporates dramatic arts and media to spark imagination, build skills and broaden horizons.

The Open Book Program is a multifaceted, peer education program for adolescents.
The mission of the program is threefold:

· To develop strong reading, writing and critical thinking skills among adolescents.

· To utilize literacy enhancement as a vehicle for nurturing leadership skills; and

· To provide consistent, structured opportunities for inter-generational communication and mentoring.

“If the greater Chicago community is going to solve the problem of poor reading skills in our youth,” says Long, “then programs operating at the local level like Open Book must be supported.” “The mission of Solid Oak Consulting is to help grow organizations to be more successful. And I’m pleased to be able to apply my experience to help the Institute for Positive Living.”

According to the founder of the Institute for Positive Living and the Open Book program, Marrice Coverson, “This is not the time to sit back and say, ‘it’s not my problem.’ The poor quality of education for our children is critical on many levels. It is time for us to come together as a community. Many of us are spending too much time blaming others for our failing educational system and too little time brainstorming in order to come up with strategies that will put the educational system back on course.”

The Institute for Positive Living’s Fourth Annual Illuminati of The Open Book Program will be held at Marshall Field’s State Street Store, 111 North State Street, on Thursday, May 13, 2004. For information contact The Institute for Positive Living at 773-924-9802.