Elkhart Community Schools starting reading initiative, featuring "Book Bracket"

ELKAHRT, Ind. -- Elkhart Community Schools is beginning a new annual elementary reading initiative.

The theme for this year is "Elkhart Builds Readers, Dreamers, Inspiring Leaders."

It seeks to show the importance of reading for students' lives and the initiative starts Feb. 12 and ends on March 25.

There will be a district-wide "Book Bracket" tournament, which leaders hope will get students excited to read. The tournament will involve students picking their favorite grade-appropriate books in a tournament until a winner is chosen.

In addition, each school is given a "core" book at the beginning of the program.

"Someone Builds the Dream" by Lisa Wheeler was chosen in order to highlight industries like manufacturing and construction.

It was chosen to remind people of the connection between Elkhart and manufacturing and how manufacturing relates to building a dream.

Schools will also be hosting other events, such as reading nights, community readers, reading marathons, and other reading competitions in order to encourage students to be excited about reading.