LeVar Burton
Children’s Miracle Achievement Award

Actor and children’s literacy advocate LeVar Burton once described his role as host and co-executive producer of the highly acclaimed PBS children’s television series Reading Rainbow as “one of the most wonderful jobs in the universe.” Over the past 20 years on Reading Rainbow, Burton’s leadership and passion have inspired millions of kids to love books and reading. So far the series, one of the most watched programs in America’s schools, has won 20 Emmy awards for its innovative approach to reading.

Burton’s passion for children’s literacy can be felt most profoundly when he talks about Reading Rainbow. “It’s an opportunity to champion literature and the written word, and the power of the imagination, and to light that spark in a young child and to fan that spark into flame,” he said. “And once that fire catches hold, it’ll spread. It’ll spread throughout the world.”

Burton serves as chairman of the national literacy campaign PBS KIDS Share a Story, which is strongly supported by First Lady Laura Bush, the campaign’s honorary national chair. For his contributions to children’s educational programming and children’s literacy, Burton has been honored with the Fred Rogers Award by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Literacy Action Network’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Burton has also served as National UNICEF Month chair and has involved himself in many other children’s causes as well.

LeVar Burton began his acting career at age 19 with the role of Kunta Kinte on “Roots.” In addition to his work as a director and producer, he has also starred in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and earned multiple Emmy awards for his role on “Reading Rainbow.”