HAMLET — Last week, Sept. 21-24, the I Can Scholarship Foundation Inc. partnered with Monroe Avenue Elementary School, which served as the host school for the Foundation’s 4-Day Reading Challenge, an interactive literacy initiative designed to encourage students to read, reflect, and communicate what they learned.
All fifth-grade students participated in the four-day challenge. Students could choose reading material and were asked to read the material, provide a summary, and identify one thing they learned. The challenge emphasized not simply how much students could read, but their ability to understand information, identify key ideas, and communicate their learning in their own words.
At the conclusion of the competition, Ms. Blue’s 3rd Block was named the 5th Grade 4-Day Reading Challenge Champions. The winning class received an ICSF-branded championship trophy to display in the classroom and celebrated with a pizza party. To recognize the effort of every student, all fifth-grade participants enjoyed ice cream for completing the challenge.
“We wanted this challenge to go beyond simply telling students to read,” said Jay Everette, executive director of the I Can Scholarship Foundation Inc. “We wanted students to show us what they understood, tell us what they learned, and begin seeing reading as something that gives them knowledge they can use. Literacy is not just about reading words on a page; it is about understanding those words and being able to communicate what they mean.”
The challenge represents ICSF’s continued investment in Literacy Enrichment, an important component of the Foundation’s work to strengthen the foundational academic skills students need as they progress through school and prepare for their futures.
ICSF recognizes fifth-grade teachers Ms. Latoya Byrd and Ms. Achah Mitchell for supporting participating students and helping make the challenge a success. The Foundation also extends its appreciation to Monroe Avenue Elementary School for serving as the host school, along with the sponsors who helped make the experience possible.
