Mayor’s Million Minute Marathon Reading Challenge begins in February

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - It’s the time of year for thousands of local students to take part in the Mayor’s Million Minute Marathon.

Each year in February, Lookout Credit Union partners up with City of Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad, PCSD #25 and the Marshall Public Library to bring the “Mayor’s Million Minute Marathon” Reading Challenge.

This reading program challenges all K-5 public schools, charter/private schools and home-schooled students in Pocatello, Chubbuck and Fort Hall to read a combined total of a million minutes in the month of February.

“We are so excited to partner with Lookout Credit Union for this amazing event,” Blad said. “Each year I look forward to this time with so many students learning to love to read.”

7,500 reading sheets, for students to log their time, have been delivered to every elementary school in the region. Beginning February 1, students may start recording their reading progress through February 28. Teachers may also choose to read and track the sheets in their classrooms. The sheets will then be collected at the end of February and tallied in early March.

Schools can win in three categories:

• Most Minutes read by school $500
• Highest Participation read by school $250
• Highest Avg. Min read by student per school $250

The winning schools will get money and a visit with Mayor Brian Blad.