Three Million Books |
 GCS Students Exceed Three Million Books GoalStudents across GCS celebrated an amazing achievement in January 2013 - they met - and exceeded! - Superintendent Maurice "Mo" Green's Three Million Books challenge. On Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, during the State of Our Schools event, students from Murphey Traditional Academy unveiled the final 2012 total: an impressive 3,324,054 books. This was the third year in a row the superintendent challenged students to meet a huge reading goal. In 2010, the superintendent announced the launch of a district-wide literacy campaign called "One Million Books." He encouraged students to read a million books by the end of 2010. Students heard the challenge and met it - almost doubling his number by reading 1.9 million books.
In 2011, Superintendent Green upped the stakes, challenging students to read two million books. Again, students rose to the occasion and surpassed the challenge by reading more than 2.6 million books.
In 2012, the superintendent raised the bar with a seemingly-impossible challenge: read three million books in just 12 months. Students from Gibsonville Elementary also marked a major district accomplishment during the State of Our Schools event. They were joined by media specialists from across the district and used their math skills to announce the total number of books students read during the One, Two and Three Million Books challenges: 7,913,454 books - 110 books per student.
It's all a part of the effort to raise up literacy in Guilford County Schools. The initiative started in 2010 as a way to challenge all families to make reading a part of everyday life at school and at home. With the help of local rotary clubs, the program was piloted at four elementary schools, and was later extended across the district. The Greensboro and High Point public libraries also partnered with GCS to support this initiative. Superintendent Green encouraged more community members to get involved. "These campaigns are evidence of the district's commitment to literacy," Green said. "Our students all have the capacity to be excellent. What they need is more time reading. They need more mentors and tutors, and they need more community organizations to get involved in their learning."
GCS celebrated the amazing achievement with millions of people during the biggest television event of the year - the Super Bowl. WFMY aired a 30-second commercial during halftime of the big game to congratulate GCS students on meeting and exceeding the Three Million Books challenge.
This year, WFMY partnered with GCS to encourage students to meet the Three Million books challenge. The station created the "Read 2 Succeed" program, updating the totals throughout the year and visiting schools for reading rallies. Every week, anchors from The Good Morning Show visited schools, encouraging students to read by hosting a fun and interactive assembly. The station also worked with local music group Big Bang Boom to create a music video with the help of students in the Afterschool Care Enrichment Services (ACES) program at Irving Park Elementary.
WFMY President and General Manager Larry Audas and News 2 Good Morning Show co-anchor Jackie Fernandez joined the superintendent on stage during the State of Our Schools event to congratulate the students and announce the Super Bowl commercial. TV station staff shot the commercial at Union Hill Elementary School on Friday, Feb. 1. The Super Bowl aired Sunday, Feb. 3, on WFMY.
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Three Million Books Partners |
WFMY is partnering with GCS to encourage reading. The TV station kicked off its Read 2 Succeed program in early October 2012, an interactive assembly that shows kids that reading is a chance at adventure and an important part of every job.
Claxton Elementary hosted the first assembly, which included a visit from the WFMY Good Morning Show team. At the assembly, Claxton students watched a music video recorded by the children's group Big Bang Boom, with the help of students in the Afterschool Care Enrichment Services (ACES) program at Irving Park Elementary. The Claxton students also played games, answered questions and participated in a mock newscast to show how reading is essential to being a news anchor.
Read 2 Succeed is going national! On Nov. 5, WFMY started running this print advertisement in USA Today newspapers.  |
Need Inspiration? Check Out These Success Stories! |
Students Celebrated for Summer Success(click to watch the GCSTV video) On Aug. 18, 2012, nearly 500 GCS students received special recognition at a red-carpet event held at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum. The special day was to celebrate a big accomplishment: In just 10 weeks, 487 students in and around High Point read more than 4,300 books. The Kiwanis Club of High Point provided underwriting for Study Island’s “Reading EGGS and Reading Eggspress,” a unique online program that supports each child’s learning by offering individual, one-on-one lessons that allow students to progress at their own rate. Students have access to the program at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater High Point, the Macedonia Family Resource Center and Fairview Elementary. Click here to read the rest of the story. |
