The Literacy Coalition is coordinating Read for the Record for the 19th year on October 24, 2024
Read for the Record brings together millions of people each year in classrooms, libraries, community centers and homes across the US. This annual campaign was launched 19 years ago to highlight the importance of building early literacy and language skills for EVERY child so that all children have the opportunity to enter kindergarten prepared to succeed.
The Literacy Coalition and our local partner, PNC Grow Up Great, have joined Jumpstart’s National Read for the Record campaign again to coordinate locally for thousands of adults to read the chosen book to children across the county on a single day. The Coalition will be working locally with municipal leaders, businesses and individual volunteers to make a huge impact.
This year’s book selection is Piper Chen Sings by Grammy winner and Tony-nominated actress Phillipa Soo, Maris Pasquale Doran and illustrated by Qin Leng. It is a story about a young girl who loves to express herself through singing but is struck with self-doubt and nervousness when asked to perform a solo in front of an audience. Piper tells her Nai Nai that she felt “like butterflies were having a dance party” in her belly; she doesn’t feel she can sing in front of others without making a mistake. Thankfully, Nai Nai teaches Piper that feeling butterflies means “something exciting was ahead” and that recognizing and welcoming that anxious feeling would help it pass. Nai Nai’s advice empowers Piper, who finds her voice on stage.
Registration for Municipalities and Volunteer readers will open in September.
Watch the authors read the book:
Watch the interview with author Phillipa Soo:
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 18th year of Read for the Record on October 26, 2023, coordinated by the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County
2023 Read for the Record Campaign Highlights
Thank you to all the municipality leaders and staff who gave their time to support this annual campaign to raise awareness of the importance of early literacy and for giving your time to read.
A special thank you is also extended to the League of Cities for being our campaign partner and to PNC Grow Up Great for being our campaign presenting sponsor.
The Coalition provided copies of this year’s Read for the Record book to 557 childcare centers throughout Palm Beach County and 115 elementary school library media specialists with the PBC School District, An additional 425 copies of the book were distributed to Municipal Leaders and community volunteer readers to read and share with students and children at elementary schools and childcare centers throughout Palm Beach County.
475 municipal leaders and staff representing 23 Municipalities who participated at 144 sites reading to 417 students at elementary schools and childcare center locations throughout Palm Beach County.
An additional 171 community volunteers participated at 32 sites reading to an additional 5,549 students at elementary school and childcare center locations.
A Combined total of 646 municipal and community volunteers participated in reading to 26,966 students at 176 elementary schools and childcare center locations throughout PB County
35 Children from Atkins Childcare Center in Riviera Beach and the Literacy Coalition’s Glades Family Education Program attended a special event at the Coalition’s Blume Literacy Center with celebrity guest reader, Tania Rogers, news anchor for WPTV 5. Also in attendance was Cindy Pilloni, from PNC Bank and PNC Grow Up Great, our campaign presenting sponsor.
The Village of Wellington was the winner of the Large Municipality, Village of Palm Springs was the winner of the Mid-Size Municipality and the Town of Lantana was the winner of the Small Municipality. Thank you to everyone who participated!
2023 MUNICIPALITIES PARTICIPATING:
Small Municipalities
Town of Cloud Lake
Town of Juno Beach
Town of Lake Park — Honorable Mention
Town of Lantana — WINNER
Town of Loxahatchee Groves
Village of North Palm Beach — Honorable Mention
Town of Manalapan
City of Pahokee
City of South Bay
Town of South Palm Beach
Winner of the Small Municipality Catagory — Town of Lantana:L to R: Town of Lantana Councilmember Kem Mason, City of Riviera Beach Councilwoman and League of Cities President Dr. Julia Botel, League of Cities Executive Director Richard Radcliffe, Literacy Coalition CEO Kristin Calder, Town of Lantana Mayor Karen Lythgoe, Town of Lantana Library Director Kristine Kreidler, Town of Lantana Town Manager Brian K. Raducci and Executive Assistant Maria Rios.
Mid-Size Municipalities
City of Belle Glade
City of Greenacres — Honorable Mention
City of Lake Worth Beach — Honorable Mention
Village of Palm Springs — WINNER
City of Riveria Beach
Village of Royal Palm Beach
Winner of the Mid-Size Municipality Catagory — Village of Palm Spri9ngs — L to R: Village of Palm Springs Councilmember Kim Schmitz, Village of Palm Springs Councilmember Gary Ready, Village of Palm Springs Vice Mayor Pro Tem Patti Waller, Village of Palm Springs Assistant Village Manager Kim Glas-Castro, City of Riviera Beach Councilwoman and League of Cities President Dr. Julia Botel, League of Cities Executive Director Richard Radcliffe, Village of Palm Springs Mayor Bev Smith and Literacy Coalition CEO Kristin Calder.
Large Municipalities
City of Boca Raton
City of Boynton Beach — Honorable Mention
City of Delray Beach — Honorable Mention
Town of Jupiter
City of Palm Beach Gardens
Village of Wellington — WINNER
City of West Palm Beach — Honorable Mention
Winner of the Large Municipality Catagory — Village of Wellington — L to R: League of Cities Executive Director Richard Radcliffe, Village of Wellington Mayor Anne Gerwig, City of Riviera Beach Councilwoman and League of Cities President Dr. Julia Botel and Literacy Coalition CEO Kristin Calder.
The children and teachers from Atkins Childcare Center in Riviera Beach and the Coalition’s Glades Family Education Program enjoyed a morning of fun at the Blume Literacy Center and created a banner based on the book. Also pictured are Cynthia Pilloni from PNC Bank and PNC Grow Up Great, Tania Rogers from WPTV 5, CEO Kristin Calder and Coalition staff.
Cynthia Pilloni, from PNC Bank and PNC Grow Up Great, enjoyed reading to the children.
L to R: Tania Rogers from WPTV 5, CEO Kristin Calder and Cynthia Pilloni, from PNC Bank and PNC Grow Up Great.
This year’s book selection was With Lots of Love by Jenny Torres Sanchez, illustrated by Andre Ceolin. It is a story about a girl who has moved to the United States from her home in Central America, away from everything she leaves behind and longs for – especially her Abuela. Rocio does her best to adjust to a new way of living, but there are many things she misses from her old life – Abuela’s cooking, Abuela’s piñata creations, Abuela’s warm hugs, and of course, Abuela herself most of all. But Abuela finds a way to send Rocio something special just in time for her birthday – a gift wrapped with lots of love – and that fills Rocio to the brim.