By james art Lubbock Area United Way hosted its seventh annual United We Read event Thursday at schools around the Hub City.
More than 500 volunteers read the same book simultaneously in every second-grade classroom in Lubbock County’s 10 school districts and two charter schools, according to a news release from the nonprofit. More than 4,200 students participated in the event.
Volunteers and students read The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds and participated in activities based on the book. Thanks to the event’s sponsors, each child went home with a copy of the book and a craft to accompany the story.
United Way Director of Community Impact Libby Linker explained, “For the past seven years, United WeRead has been an event that has helped us raise awareness about the importance of grade-level reading. We hope that through United We Read, more families understand the importance of literacy and can share the joy of reading and telling stories with their children. Technical community media to accompany United Way’s story and service guide, which helps families connect with programs provided through the organization’s community partners.
United We Read is part of Lubbock Area United Way’s Start Smart initiative. Start Smart is sponsored by Atmos Energy, Covenant Health, HEB, First United Bank, Prosperity Bank, TXU Energy and United Supermarkets
This article originally appeared in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock Area United Way hosts United We Read event in schools