SOUTHERN WYOMING — Solvay, Tronox and the Union Pacific Foundation teamed up to provide “Wyoming Firsts: A Children’s Book,” by First Lady Carol Mead to give every outgoing first grader in Uinta, Sweetwater, Carbon, Albany and Laramie counties a copy.

First Lady Carol Mead chose children’s issues as her primary area of focus when Governor Matt Mead began office in 2011. She and Governor Mead believe that children are Wyoming’s greatest asset. To that end, her work is aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles among kids to make sure they grow up healthy, happy and safe. She believes that reading to your child every day is fundamental to strengthening the parent-child bond, developing emergent literacy skills, and encouraging intellectual curiosity – all keys to becoming a lifelong learner.

“It is heartwarming to see Solvay, Tronox and UP combining resources to promote children’s literacy in Wyoming,” said First Lady Carol Mead.

Wyoming Firsts was published in 2013 and highlights the many “firsts” that Wyoming is known for including the first women governor, first national park and other fun facts such as how Wyoming got the nickname, “The Cowboy State.”

The book’s illustrations were submitted by Wyoming high school students with the cover being designed by Cheyenne East student, Sharon Cooper.

“I am pleased by the progress we’ve made in early childhood literacy in Wyoming but there is more work to be done. Any program that gets books in the hands of children furthers our mission,” summed up First Lady Carol Mead.