Did you know that in the United States, there are many children who are not reading at their grade level? According to the 2013 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), “Sixty five percent of all U.S. fourth graders scored “below proficient,” which means that they are not reading at grade level. Only 35 percent of fourth graders are reading at or above grade level. In addition, 64 percent of eighth graders are reading below grade level, whereas 36 percent are reading at or above grade level.”
As an author, life-time reader, and mother, I think this is terrible. The ability to read is one of my most cherished and useful skills, and one that I always assumed was near-universal in the U.S. It’s disheartening to realize that many children grow up without a single book in their homes.
That’s why I’ve teamed up with the World Literacy Foundation this year to organize this race to raise funds for buying books for students in disadvantaged schools in El Paso, TX. I am committing 80% of all registration fees to this cause in the hopes that we can help children get the books they need to foster a lifelong love of reading that will help brighten their futures and broaden their horizons.
If you’d like to help me promote childhood literacy (or you just want to run a fun race for a good cause!), you can register for the 1st Annual Rocksaber Run for Literacy by filling out the form below.
On the day of the race, June 29, 2024, please take pictures of yourself and share them to my Facebook page here!
Registration
Note: Orders that include a medal or t-shirt must be placed before June 1 if you want them by the race day.