Reading Rainbow's LeVar Burton to Receive Tufts Award for Children's Media

LeVar Burton will receive Tufts University's Eliot-Pearson Award for Excellence in Children's Media, the university announced Thursday.

The awards ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will take place on February 3 at 10 a.m. in the Distler Performance Hall at the Granoff Music Center on Tufts University's Medford/Somerville campus.

Burton, an actor and entertainer, is being recognized for his work as the host and executive producer of the highly acclaimed PBS children's television series "Reading Rainbow," according to a Tufts press release.

 "For these awards our selection committee looks for individuals in the media who make a real difference in the lives of children," said Julie Dobrow, the director of the CMS program, in a written statement. "LeVar Burton is a natural choice as he is a true children's literary expert. Through his exceptional career he has helped to promote reading comprehension in elementary- school-age children through the medium of television."

The Eliot-Pearson Awards for Excellence in Children's Media are given to organizations, individuals or companies with a commitment to innovation, diversity, non-violence and developmentally appropriate media, the press release said.

Burton hosted and produced "Reading Rainbow" for 26 years. He has also gained fame for several of his acting roles, notable Geordi LaForge on the "Star Trek" series and as Kunta Kinte in "Roots."

Burton is now working to launch of a new cross-platform media company producing television programs, feature films and original web content, the press release said. Reading Rainbow will return in 2012 as a multi-faceted new media venture, the release said.

Previous recipients of the Eliot-Pearson Awards for Excellence include Bill Cosby, actor and bestselling author; Alvin F. Poussaint, psychiatrist, educator and social commentator; Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh and Cathy Galeota, producers of the American animated television series "Dora the Explorer"; Linda Ellerbee and Mark Lyons, executive producers of educational children's and teenagers' television show "Nick News for Kids"; Peggy Charren, founder of activist group Action for Children's Television; and Carol Greenwald, executive producer of the educational television series "Arthur."

Information in this report provided by Tufts University Spokesperson Katherine Cinnamond.