Emphasis on reading permeates community; Tennessee: Memphis City School District.

Memphis City School District in Memphis, Tenn., was named the state's winner in the 2006 National Civic Star Award competition for a reading program aimed at improving student reading skills and increasing literacy in the community.

Initiated by Superintendent Carol R. Johnson, the program encouraged every participant to read 25 books per year and a minimum of two books per month. The challenge to the community was to read a million books within the district by the end of the first Memphis City Schools Reads Campaign. The campaign ran from August 2004 to April 2005.

The program was based on research indicating a clear link between reading and educational success and studies finding that increased reading time has a positive effect on standardized test scores. An additional impetus for the program was the pressure to raise standardized test scores and improve accountability in meeting state standards.

As an incentive to participants, the campaign included an awards program for students, parents and teachers who reached the 25-book goal.

To obtain support for the campaign, the schools formed partnerships with the Memphis Grizzlies NBA basketball team; the Memphis Redbirds AAA baseball team; A&I Travel Agency; McDonald's; Backyard Burgers; Federal Express; Partners in Public Education, a local education fund; Clear Channel Radio group, and other organizations and businesses.

The partners donated more than $50,000 in game tickets, food coupons, promotional banners, travel packages and other incentives in support of the initiative.

A district kickoff featuring business partners, team mascots and radio personalities launched the campaign with about 500 students and community members attending. Information kits were then distributed to the district's 191 schools for distribution to 122,000 students. The kits contained campaign guidelines, monthly themes, book logs and other campaign details.

Every month each school received tickets to Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis Redbirds games to use in drawings for students who met the two-book monthly reading goal. Also each month, the campaign planning committee selected a campaign school of the month at the elementary and middle-school levels. The schools of the month were selected based on activities to support the campaign.

Selected schools were encouraged to have celebration assemblies where elementary school students were awarded vouchers to McDonald's and a more limited number of middle and high-school students were given an opportunity to tour the Clear Channel Radio station and meet with on-air personalities.

Schools were also provided a financial incentive through the sale of MSC Reads T-shirts. For each shirt bought, the school received $2 for the purchase of literacy materials.

In April 2005, a final celebration was held where all grand prizes were awarded and the campaign's successes were highlighted. In all, more than 1,402,250 books were read. A Top Reader Award was given to one of three finalists selected from students who attained the 25-book goal. The award was a $500 scholarship donated by Partners in Public Education.

A travel package, donated by A&I Travel Agency, was also awarded to a parent and a teacher who avidly supported the campaign.

The district is continuing the program with new activities, incentives and partnerships.

For more information, contact Superintendent Carol R. Johnson at Memphis City School District, 2597 Avery Ave., Room 208, Memphis, Tenn. 38112, or call [phone]. The e-mail address is [e-mail].