Red Wings For Reading Program

Supported by the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, the Red Wings for Reading Classroom Challenge is a no-cost literacy program focused on K-5 classrooms in Michigan. The program is designed for individual classrooms and runs throughout March.

Every teacher who registers will receive:

  • Bookmarks for every student
  • Master copies of the Certificate of Achievement and Student Reading Log
  • Five incentives to be awarded to All-Star readers
    • Reversable Stuffed Octopus
    • Book Light
    • Water Bottle
    • Octopus Stress Relief Fidget
    • All-Star Reader Medal
  • Access to additional digital certificate incentives including: All-Star Reader, Reader of the Month, Most Pages Read and Most Improved

Please Note: Registration is limited to the first 125 K-2 and 3-5 classrooms. There will only be 125 spots held per group.

Activity Sheets

How it works:

  • STEP 1: Sign Up - Registration will remain open until 250 classrooms are reached.

    • 125 spots for kindergarten through 2nd grade
    • 125 spots for 3rd grade through 5th grade
  • STEP 2: Receive classroom materials - Classroom materials will be mailed to the schools using the address provided in application.

  • STEP 3: Set Student Goals (in class) - Set goals (in minutes) for your students to receive Red Wings for Reading-branded items.

  • STEP 4: Record Minutes - Students keep track of minutes and books read each day, both in class and at home, in their Student Reading Logs.

  • STEP 5: Submit Weekly Totals - Submit your classroom minutes and book totals to our online portal by the specified date each week throughout March.

  • STEP 6: Earn Prizes - Each student will receive a Red Wings for Reading: Classroom Challenge bookmark and certificates upon completion of the month.

Prizes & Incentives:

  • The top performing classroom for K-2 and 3-5 grades will receive a $2,500 library upgrade for the school.
  • The top five classrooms for K-2 and 3-5 will receive a Little Caesars pizza party.
  • Each participating student will receive a Red Wings for Reading bookmark and certificate of completion.

Important Dates:

Program Begins: March 4, 2024
Log 1 Turn In: March 11, 2024
Log 2 Turn In: March 18, 2024
Log 3 Turn In: March 25, 2024
Log 4 Turn In: April 1, 2024
Program Ends: April 1, 2024

If you have questions, please email [email protected].

Tracking and Reporting:

What do we track?
The Red Wings for Reading program asks students, with the help of teachers and parents, to record the number of minutes they read throughout March on their printable Student Reading Log or electronic Student Reading Log.

What is the tracking schedule?
Students should begin tracking their reading on March 4. At the end of each week, students and teachers should total their minutes and books read, and teachers will report the class total through the submission portal.

To be considered for Red Wings for Reading Top Classrooms of the Month, the following deadlines apply:

  • Report - Due Date
  • Program begins - March 4
  • Week 1 – March 11
  • Week 2 – March 18
  • Week 3 – March 25
  • Week 4 – April 1

Why track number of minutes instead of books?
By tracking reading time, teachers and parents can strengthen their reading habits and encourage their student to set achievable goals. Recent data shows that students who read for 20 minutes or more per day scored higher on standardized reading tests compared to those who read for less than five minutes.

What if my class uses a different method to track reading?
The Red Wings understand each classroom is different and may use different methods to track student reading. Teachers must track the number of minutes their students read if they wish to be considered for Top Classrooms of the Month prizes.

What exactly are the students allowed to track?
Students should track any minutes they read at home or at school. Red Wings for Reading believes in sharing the power of a book with others, therefore:

  • K-2 students may also count minutes read to them by a teacher, parent, etc.
  • 3-5 students may count minutes from easier books that they read to a sibling or younger child.
How long is this year's program?

The Red Wings for Reading program runs for the duration of March. Teachers begin tracking reading on March 4, with the first report due by March 4. The last report will be due by April 1.

When and how do I submit my weekly report?

All weekly reports must be submitted online.

When and how does my class receive their materials?

Paper materials will be mailed to each classroom at the start of the program. These include:

  • Bookmarks for every student
  • Master Copies of the Certificate of Achievement and Student Reading Log
  • Five incentives to be awarded to All-Star readers

  • Reversable Stuffed Octopus

  • Book Light
  • Water Bottle
  • Octopus Stress Relief Fidget
  • All-Star Reader Medal

  • Access to additional digital certificate incentives including: All-Star Reader, Reader of the Month, Most Pages Read and Most Improved

Additional resources can be found on the Resource Material page.

Why track number of minutes instead of books?

Within grades, the reading levels of students can be vastly different, and some students may read many short books while others are reading a fewer number of longer books.

What about books that are read to them?

The goal is to get students to read more books and to improve their reading level. You should count all minutes that students read. K-2 students may count books and minutes that are read to them, and 3-5 students may count minutes that they read to a sibling or younger child. Making sure that each student is reading at the appropriate level is up to the teacher and parents.

Do the All-Star Reader and year-end MVP Reader have to be the student that read the most minutes?

While many teachers may award these based on the number of minutes read, this may cause the same student to win each month and other students who are working very hard may lose their desire to participate, believing they will never win. For this reason, we encourage teachers to consider other criteria for All-Star Readers, such as greatest improvement, most effort shown, etc. Ultimately, the choice is left to each teacher to make the program work for their class.

What do I do if I have two students tie for the weekly award?

Our Resource Material page contains an assortment of certificates that teachers can use to recognize the hard work their students put into the program.

When are weekly awards distributed?

Individual student awards (prize or printable certificate) are awarded by the teacher at the beginning of each week, once pages have been totaled. Additional certificate options are available on the Red Wings for Reading website and can be distributed at the teacher's discretion.

How do you determine the Top Classrooms of the Month? How will my fifth-grade classroom win if my students have to read as many pages as a first-grade class?

At the end of the month, two classrooms, one from K-2 and one from 3-5 will win a $2,500 classroom library grant. In addition, the top five classrooms from each grade that have read the greatest number of pages per student (based on information provided in the monthly reports) will receive a pizza party.

How can we find out who is winning the classroom awards?

Classroom winners will be contacted directly by the Detroit Red Wings Community Impact staff.

What is the contact information for Red Wings for Reading?

We can be reached via the following: [email protected]

Resource Materials:

  • For Students

    • Parent Welcome Letter
    • Student Reading Log
    • Bookmark
  • For Teachers

    • Classroom Reading Log
    • Tracker Poster
    • Certificates
      • Certificate of Achievement
      • Most Pages Read
      • Most Improved
      • All-Star Reader
      • Top Reader of the Month