If the sincerest form of flattery is imitation, William Kameron Stevenson hopes to see more Clayton students strive to be future nominees for a new student achievement program he has designed.

As the community relations specialist for Southtowne Motors on Georgia Highway 85 in Riverdale, Stevenson has developed two new elementary school programs, Super Reader and Most Improved Student, which will be given out monthly at different schools.

The first award winners will be recognized at a special school assembly tomorrow at Church Street Elementary School in Riverdale.

“We all know reading is the pathway to success, whether in school or in a career,” Stevenson said. “We want to instill in these youngsters the enjoyment of reading by recognizing those students who have excelled in reading as well as being most improved student at their grade level.”

Stevenson believes that enhancing student achievement, which he said is the goal of Clayton County Public Schools, is constantly being over shadowed in the media with news that emphasize problems.

He hopes the Most Improved Student and Super Reader Programs will help redirect the focus back to “all that is good about our school system.”

With more than 15 years in the radio and television business where he met many outstanding youngsters, Stevenson sees this Southtowne Motors program as a way the company can give back to the Clayton County community.

“Our children do not get the incentives or accolades that they so richly deserve and, through these programs, Southtowne hopes to help paved the way toward emphasizing these, and other outstanding Clayton County students,” he said.

The youngsters are selected through nominations by their teachers. Before the end of the year, Stevenson said he would like to have more than 20 Clayton schools participating.

“We have a group of wonderful teachers in Clayton County who do an outstanding job with our students by encouraging and giving them incentives which encourage reading and learning,” Stevenson said.

“However, I don’t feel there are enough adults in the Clayton County behind these teachers to further encourage our students,’ he added.

By becoming better readers, Stevenson said Clayton students would better be able to compete and succeed in a global economy, “and it all starts with reading and academics,” he added.

For more information on the Super Reader and Student of the Month Programs, call (678) 663-4816.