For the third year in a row, a West Mifflin Area School District class was recognized as winners of the Reading Champions Challenge, a reading initiative organized by U.S. Steel and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation. Ms. Jennifer Terzich's 3rd grade class at Clara Barton Elementary read 68,469 minutes.
Launched in 2021, the Reading Champions program encourages 3rd grade students from numerous districts to grow their love for reading through an eight-week program. The goal of the challenge is to have each student read for 20 minutes a day, the same amount of time in a hockey period. Each class is provided with a set of ten books focused on teamwork, kindness/anti-bullying, hockey and penguins.
Ms. Terzich's class was recognized on May 3rd, when representatives from the Pittsburgh Penguins and US Steel visited, along with the Pittsburgh Penguins’ mascot, Iceberg, to present the class their Reading Champions cup, which features each students' named engraved in the trophy. They were also provided a pizza party.
Dina Fouser, a K-5 Literacy Coach in the district, said its no surprise that a West Mifflin class won the challenge once again. Students in the district learn about the challenge from an early age, as previous reading champions stop in Kindergarten classes to read with them. From there on, interest in the challenge is sparked, and a love from reading is heightened through the challenge.
“They can’t wait to become a reading champion, and to be called a reading champion. It really gives them motivation for reading," said Ms. Fouser.
“It encourages reading at home and in the community, as well as reading in other content areas other than Reading class. It just gives them that push to read as much as possible."