The Million Word Challenge is a community-wide literacy campaign promoting a culture of literacy at home and academic achievement at school. This initiative challenges students to read MILLIONS of WORDS outside of the classroom, while helping to connect families and schools together around the joy of reading beyond the bell. The campaign was created by the LAUSD-Local District 5 in 2003 and is currently carried out in schools throughout Los Angeles County.  The 2009 Million Word Challenge is presented by Families In Schools, La Opinion, and the Los Angles County Office of Education, with supporting sponsorship from the Pearson Foundation.  Also, the Million Word Challenge has enlisted the support of civic officials, education leaders, and celebrities across the county.

Due to popular demand, the partnership will host a Mini Million Word Challenge from April 22 – May 22, 2009.  This year, the Million Word Challenge will honor books students have read in any reading campaigns hosted by their schools during the 2008-2009 school year. To participate in the Mini Million Word Challenge, schools must register at www.millionwordchallenge.org by May 1, 2009.  Each participating school will have the opportunity to select one student per track to receive a $50 gift certificate valid for purchasing books on-line from Pearson, a company that brings together some of the most valuable brands in publishing including the Financial Times, Penguin, Dorling Kindersley, Scott Foresman, Prentice Hall, Addison-Wesley, and Longman. Although the Feria del Libro: A Family Book Fair will not take place this year, student winners will still be awarded $50 in books through the generous support of the Pearson Foundation. The next Feria del Libro: A Family Book Fair will take place in June 2010.

The Mini Million Word Challenge will lead up to the new and improved Million Word Challenge that will launch in Fall 2009. After participating in this mini initiative, please return to the Million Word Challenge website at www.millionwordchallenge.org to register your school. 

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