MEA is hosting a Read Across Maine contest to encourage students to develop a love for reading, explore diverse books, and improve reading skills by embarking on an exciting reading journey through Maine.
To help celebrate Read Across America, MEA is hosting a Read Across Maine contest to encourage students to develop a love for reading, explore diverse books, and improve reading skills by embarking on an exciting reading journey through Maine. The contest comes with some major prizes including up to $1,000 to purchase books and books for students to take home. MEA encourages all educators to participate!
Contest Details
Reading Goals:
- All Maine public school students, in all grades, are encouraged to participate in MEA’s Read Across Maine reading content. Each participating classroom sets a collective reading goal for the duration of the contest (the month of March). This goal should reflect the number of books, pages, sight words, or reading hours the class aims to complete. These goals should coincide with the reading level of the class/student.
- Students are encouraged to create a shared reading list with various types of books to ensure diversity in their reading choices. A list of diverse books to choose from can be found here.
Progress Tracking:
- Educators will receive access to a map where they can track the books read, pages completed, words, or hours spent reading by their classroom.
- Regular progress updates will be encouraged to foster a sense of competition and motivate students to read more.
Stops Along the Reading Journey
- Wabanaki Cultural Center (Calais): Learn about the culture and history of the Wabanaki people, Maine’s Native American population.
- Lewiston-Auburn Franco-American Heritage Center (Lewiston): Explore the contributions of French-Canadians and Franco-Americans to Maine’s cultural tapestry.
- Portland Freedom Trail: Trace the history of the Underground Railroad in Portland, where diverse individuals helped escaped slaves find freedom.
- L.C. Bates Museum (Fairfield): Features diverse natural history collections and Native American artifacts.
- Pejepscot Historical Society (Brunswick): Discover the stories of African Americans who lived in the area during the 18th and 19th centuries.
- Baxter State Park (Millinocket): Home to Maine’s tallest peak, Mount Katahdin, which is of great cultural significance to the Penobscot Nation.
- Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine (Augusta): Understand the importance of human rights and the contributions of diverse Mainers.
- Leonard’s Mills (Bradley): Explore the history of Maine’s lumber industry and the diverse workforce that contributed to it.
- Margaret Chase Smith Library (Skowhegan): Celebrate the legacy of Maine’s first female U.S. Senator.
- Hannibal Hamlin (Paris): A native of Paris, Maine, Hamlin served as Abraham Lincoln’s Vice President. He was an influential figure during the Civil War and a strong advocate for the abolition of slavery.
- Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians Cultural Center (Houlton): Learn about the history and culture of the Maliseet people, one of Maine’s Native American tribes. The cultural center showcases art, artifacts, and exhibits that highlight the heritage of the Maliseet Nation.
- Swedish Colony (New Sweden): The New Sweden area is home to a Swedish colony and museum that has preserved Swedish traditions, culture, and architecture.
Official Submission for Prizes
At the end of the contest, educators will submit their classroom’s reading data, including the list of books read, journals, and progress updates. The educator will be required to submit a short essay, no more than 300 words, as to how this reading journey had a positive impact on their students. Once the essay and data are submitted, the classroom will be officially entered into the contest.
Prizes
Grand Prize
- The classroom that displays the most significant growth with their reading goal will win the grand prize of a Little Free Library for their school, $1,000 to purchase books for their class, and a book for every student in the class to be chosen by the winning educator.
1st Place
- $500 for a classroom library
2nd Place
- A book for every student to take home chosen by the educator.
Judging/Announcement
Judging
- A panel of judges will evaluate the classroom’s participation, reading journey, and the impact of reading on the students. Additional consideration will be given to classes that incorporate diverse books and themes into their reading journey.
Announcement of Winners:
- The winning classrooms will be notified via email via the educator’s email given on the submission form.
