Read for the Record

 

Read for the Record 2023 Banner

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  

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 18 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.

 

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

Read for the Record Sm-Lantana

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

Read for the Record-Mid-Palm Springs

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

Read for the Record-Lg-Wellington

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.

 Read for the Record-Blume Literacy Center 

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.

Read for the Record-Blume Literacy Center   Read for the Record-Blume Literacy Center 

Read for the Record-Blume Literacy Center

Cynthia Pilloni,  from PNC Bank and PNC Grow Up Great, enjoyed reading to the children.

Read for the Record-Blume Literacy Center  

 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.

CLICK HERE to download the event flyer

We are grateful for the local campaign support of PNC Grow Up Great. 

PNC Grow Up Great logo