Million Word Challenge
Wednesday, December 6 2006

In collaboration with Alliance for a Better Community, Families In Schools, the City of Los Angeles, LAUSD, La Opinion, Telemundo, Washington Mutual, The Walt Disney Co., the Hudson Group and Target…the BHLC helped coordinate the Million Word Challenge (MWC) at Utah Elementary School.  The Million Word Challenge is a community-wide literacy campaign promoting a culture of literacy at home and academic achievement at school, culminating at the Feria del Libro: A Family Book Fair on June 2, 2007. The campaign helps to connect families and schools around the joy of reading "beyond the bell" and challenges students to read MILLIONS of WORDS, outside of the classroom so that students who achieve the highest can receive recognition at the book fair. The campaign has enlisted the support of civic and education officials across the city such as:

 

 José Huizar, Los Angeles City Councilman - Council District 14

Mónica García, Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education Member - Board District 2

Carmen Schroeder, Local Superintendent for LAUSD Local District 5

Maria Casillas, President of Families In Schools (FIS)

Elizabeth Zamora, Executive Director of the Boyle Heights Learning Collaborative

Ramon Cortines, Deputy Mayor of Education, Youth and Families

Patricia Castro, Principal of Utah Elementary

Rueben Martinez, Owner of Libreria Martinez and Champion of Literacy

David Brewer III, Superintendent of Schools for LAUSD

 

In addition, the BHLC was proud to have worked with Arturo Maximo Nava, a 10th Grade student at Roosevelt High School who worked diligently in order to produce the artwork for the Feria Del Libro 2007. His art rendering of people enjoying the wonderful world of reading was unveiled at this year’s Million Word Challenge.