In honor of National Reading Month, the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley has announced that it is hosting a reading challenge that is open to all ages.
The Million Minute Challenge is part of the Lehigh Valley Reads campaign, a literacy campaign launched by the United Way with the goal of ensuring all Lehigh Valley students read on grade level by the end of third grade. As part of the campaign, this month volunteers from the United Way will read to students at seven local United Way Community Schools while reading mascot Corey delivers reading materials and supplies to the schools.
The Million Minute Challenge is a digital-based community mobilization event focused on promoting reading. The goal of the challenge is for participants to collectively read one million minutes or more of materials throughout the month of March. Reading time can be accrued on breaks, in waiting rooms or after students finish homework. Participants can read anything, from comic books and poems to novels and local news stories. The initiative is being supported by Crayola and Truist, a news release said.
“The Million Minute Challenge is a powerful call to action to UNITE our community around the vital importance of reading,” said Jill Pereira, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships at United Way. “Together with teachers, families and partners throughout the Lehigh Valley, we’re proud to champion third-grade literacy, a cornerstone for future success.”
“At Crayola, we believe in the transformative power of literacy and the importance of community collaboration,” added Karen Kelly, Manager, Executive Communications, DEI, and Community Engagement at Crayola. “The Million Minute Challenge embodies our commitment to supporting students, families and partners in advancing childhood literacy across the Lehigh Valley.”
The United Way is encouraging individuals, families, schools and organizations to participate in the challenge. Registration is free and open to all ages. To register, and for more information, visit the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley website.
This local news story was reported with generative AI assistance.
