United Way, GFPS challenge students to read

Meredith Gilcher, 7, wants to be a cowgirl when she grows up.

Reading will be important, she said, so she can read the newspaper to know when to go to the rodeo.

Meredith is a student at West Elementary where Jane Weber, Cascade County commissioner, was reading to second-graders on Friday to kick off the Read 2 Me challenge.

Through the Read 2 Me challenge, 900 books will be distributed to GFPS second-graders.

The challenge is a collaboration between Great Falls Public Schools and United Way of Cascade County, and is giving every second-grade student a free book to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday and Read Across America week.

Weber read the first two chapters of "Stink, Solar System Superhero" on Friday and challenged the students to finish the book themselves and talk about it with their friends.

Weber asked the second-graders why it's important to learn to read.

"It can give you education and sometimes it's just for fun," said Isabel Wetheren, 7.

Weber loved to read growing up and she loved to write.

So much so that her father hung a sheet in the garage that she would write play scripts on. She'd get her younger brother and sister to rehearse throughout the week after school and on Saturdays, they'd perform for their parents and sometimes the neighbors.

"If you can read, you can write," Weber said.

During the challenge, which runs through March 27, students can enter a ticket for every 20 minutes they read for a change to win one of five $25 gift certificates.

West Principal Michelle Meredith said the prize helps encourage students to read, but that most of the second-graders already love reading.

Getting the free book from United Way, "is like the best present ever," to the students, she said.

For some of the students, the book is the first one they've ever owned.

The school has an accelerated reader program, but they use library books. Meredith said they can't give away as many books as they used to.

The Stink book is a chapter book for their grade level and Meredith said the chapters also excite the students.

"I think they see themselves as more mature when they read the chapter books," she said.

The challenge is part of United Way's Graduation Matters initiative, which encourages students to think about their goals and how graduating high school is critical to make those goals happen.

United Way President Gary Owen said United Way and GFPS wanted to focus on second-graders because of how important it is for students to be proficient readers by the time they finish third grade. After third grade, students must read in order to learn math, science, history and literature. Consequently, studies show that students who aren't reading at grade level by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school, according to United Way.

This is the third year that United Way has sponsored the reading challenge and book giveaway, and Owen said he hopes that over the long-term improves student reading skills and increases the number of high school graduates who are ready for work or college.