Canutillo Independent School District's Canutillo Middle School STEAM Academy (CMSSA) students are rich in words, joining the ranks of the Millionaire’s Club when they completed the 2022 Million Words Read Challenge by collectively reading one million words.
Between September and May, 24 CMSSA seventh-grade honors English language arts and reading students, plus 20 students from Mentoring Minds classes, read a total of one million words using Read to Lead, a digital learning program that empowers students to “be the boss,” of a virtual workplace. While playing Read to Lead, students develop reading, writing, and 21st-century skills that benefit them in school today and prepare them for a successful transition to high school and beyond.
“This is an incredible milestone for our students,” said CMSSA Principal Christopher Judge. “Knowledge is power and the more you read the more you know and these students have expanded their vocabulary, imagination, creativity, and perspectives by committing to reading just 15 to 30 minutes a day. We are proud of their dedication.”
In its second year, the Million Words Read Challenge motivates students in middle school classrooms and afterschool programs across the country to collectively read over one million words in Read to Lead. CMSSA students started using the program early in the school year and earned digital achievement badges along the way to encourage them to keep progressing towards their goal.
Literacy is critical for success in and beyond high school, but students often aren’t rewarded for their efforts to read. The Million Words Read Challenge gives educators a new tool to motivate students to read by rewarding them for reaching milestones like the number of words read and collectively reading one million words as a class.
The Million Words Read Challenge is sponsored by Classroom, Inc., a non-profit organization that helps middle school youth build literacy and 21st-century skills that prepare them for their future in school, career, and life.