After becoming one of the first districts to spearhead the March of Dimes Reading Champions fundraiser in the fall of 2005, Pasadena ISD is entering its third campaign of the benefit on Monday, Oct. 16.

Reading Champions is a reading motivation program facilitated by the March of Dimes that helps raise money for research that will help save babies from premature births.

Pasadena ISD became involved with the reading program after the district’s executive director of curriculum Dr. Karen Gibson contacted Susan Ramirez, the director of development for the March of Dimes, because she discovered the program was inactive although it had been popular a decade ago.

More than 1,800 students participated in last year’s fall and spring reading campaigns. Combined, the students read 68,876 books bringing in a total of $48,031.19 for the fundraiser. Ramirez said Pasadena ISD’s success with the program has generated the participation of other school districts in the Houston area.

“The March of Dimes is extremely proud of the outstanding job the children, parents and school personnel in Pasadena have done in making Reading Champions an outstanding success,” Ramirez said. “We salute Pasadena for taking the lead in adopting Reading Champions, and we look forward to continuing our partnership for many years to come.”

After surveying 17,000 primary schools students in the Pasadena school system for her doctoral research, Gibson said she learned that 82 percent of those students felt good or very good about reading if they would be helping a charity. So, Ramirez and Gibson both decided it was time to bring the program back to life and begin in Pasadena ISD.

“The March of Dimes Reading Champions Program has provided the students in Pasadena ISD with a unique and wonderful opportunity,” Gibson said. “Research indicates the more a student reads, the better they will perform academically. So, this program helps to greatly increase our student achievement.”

The concept of the program is simple. Students get family members to agree to sponsor them so much per book they read during a four-week period. At the end of the four weeks, each student who participated receives a Reading Champions certificate with his/her name on it and a gold, silver or bronze medallion depending on the number of books read.

Burnett Elementary first grader Lauren Lee Brooks was named the program’s champion reader for last year’s spring campaign after she read 20 books raising $284.75 for the benefit.

“I read so much that I don’t even have to sound out the words anymore,” Brooks said.

Pomeroy Elementary participated in last year’s efforts, and Principal Liz Ortiz said the process is so easy for everything that it accomplishes.

“Pomeroy has had a great experience with the Reading Champions program,” Ortiz said. “It really boosts our students’ attitudes toward reading because they are reading with the goal of helping babies in mind. Reading Champions helps us develop a giving spirit, a kind heart and improved reading skills in our students.”

Cindy Walker, the librarian at Moore Elementary, coordinated the program last year and said the circulation within the library more than doubled during the two four-week periods.

“My students love this event,” Walker said. “The student participation has been very high in the past and all students, kindergarten to fourth grade, gained positive benefits in two important ways. They have learned the joy of giving to others with their desire to help tiny babies along with the positive benefits of reading many books.”

So far, 30 elementary schools have signed up to participate in this year’s fundraiser including Atkinson Elementary, Bailey Elementary, Burnett Elementary, Bush Elementary, Frazier Elementary, Gardens Elementary, Garfield Elementary, Genoa Elementary, Golden Acres Elementary, Jensen Elementary, Jessup Elementary, Mae Smythe Elementary, Matthys Elementary, McMasters Elementary, Meador Elementary, Moore Elementary, Morales Elementary, Morris Elementary, Parks Elementary, Pomeroy Elementary, Red Bluff Elementary, Richey Elementary, Schneider Middle School, L.F. Smith Elementary, South Houston, Elementary, South Shaver Elementary, Sparks Elementary, Stuchbery Elementary, Turner Elementary and Williams Elementary.

If members of the community would like to honor their local school, they may make a contribution toward the school’s Reading Champions campaign. The March of Dimes awards trophies to the three schools raising the most money.

“Our students have learned the joy of volunteerism,” Gibson said. “The money they raise as they read books helps to fund medical research to help children just like them lead healthier lives. The March of Dimes has been a huge motivator in helping our students to read and a wonderful partner with our school district. We are excited for this year’s campaign and look forward to the support of our parents and community.”