Skip Prosser Literacy Program: READ Challenge

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Skip Prosser Literacy Program's READ Challenge is a collaboration between Wake Forest's Department of Education, Wake Forest Athletics, the Wake Forest Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, WFU Office of Civic and Community Engagement, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, and BookmarksNC.

The READ Challenge honors Skip Prosser, who was the men's basketball head coach at Wake Forest from 2001 to 2007. To learn more about the history of the Skip Prosser Literacy Program, see "Reading: The Legacy of Skip Prosser" from Wake Forest Athletics.

Since 2009, Wake Forest Athletics has teamed up with schools in Forsyth County to encourage reading among 4th grade students. The Demon Deacons encourage students to read independently, which includes both in-class and out-of-class independent reading time. Reading may include the use of books, eBooks, newspapers, magazines, comics, and other forms of text.

"This program is an excellent way to promote Coach Prosser's love of reading and honor his legacy which is felt each day on campus and throughout all our programs," Senior Associate Athletics Director Jane Caldwell said. "An avid reader, Coach Prosser would be proud of the impact the program has brought to the youth in our Winston-Salem community."

In the fall of 2019, a total of 1,441 fourth graders from 29 elementary schools participated in the READ Challenge. 903 fourth-graders read 1500 or more minutes before winter break, the highest participation total since 2014.

Wake Forest encourages students to track the minutes they are reading to become eligible to win exclusive Wake Forest prizes. This year's opening date was September 28, 2020.

Every student will receive a digital tracking sheet to record their minutes. Students will check one box on the tracking sheet for every 10 minutes read. To reach the Champion level, students must read at least 2000 minutes, which is approximately 20 minutes per day until the final check-in date, Wednesday, January 20, 2021.

For more information about the Skip Prosser Literacy Program, including the READ Challenge, contact Dr. Alan Brown in the Wake Forest Department of Education at brownma@wfu.edu.

Special thanks to our Skip Prosser READ Challenge Advisory Committee members and support network, including:

Laura Bilton (WFU Department of Education)
Alan Brown (WFU Department of Education)
Brandi Brown (Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools)
Ashley Bryant (BookmarksNC)
Jane Caldwell (Wake Forest Athletics)
Kyle Denlinger (ZSR Library)
Tracy Ebert (WFU Department of Education)
Jennifer Fernbach (Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools)
Adam Friedman (WFU Department of Education)
Rhett Hobart (Wake Forest Athletics)
Brooke Johnston (Wake Forest Athletics)
Karen Meier (Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools)
Emilia Migliaccio (WFU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee)
Dani Parker Moore (WFU Department of Education)
Lauren Robertson (Skip Prosser Literacy Program Intern)
Shelley Sizemore (WFU Office of Civic and Community Engagement)
Corey Tanner (Wake Forest Athletics)
Ashley Wechter (Wake Forest Athletics)
Camry Wilborn (WFU Office of Civic and Community Engagement

Wake Forest Athletics

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