MAY 28, 2025 (YORK, PA) – Today, Jackson PreK-8 School hosted the fourth special literacy event in the commonwealth for the United States of Readers, a national book access program from Scholastic. The program will provide nearly 500 Pre-K-8th grade students attending Jackson PreK-8 School access to books they select and own. During the event, students received free books, heard from State Representative Carol Hill-Evans, and enjoyed a special presentation by award-winning Scholastic children’s book author Jerry Pallotta.
Following a highly successful pilot to 48,000 students in every state in the United States as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, the program was first launched in Massachusetts in October 2024 in five Title I schools. Pennsylvania is the second state to launch the United States of Readers, with the first event at Riverside Elementary School East in Moosic in February 2025.
According to research from the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report™, more than 90% of children reported that the books they pick themselves are their favorite books, and they are more likely to finish them. The United States of Readers supports this data by featuring a curated selection of grade-level appropriate books for students to choose. Over the course of a full school year, Pennsylvania students participating in the United States of Readers program will choose 10 new books they will own to add to their home libraries at no cost to families. In addition, teachers at participating schools will each receive 25 books for their classroom library, further expanding book choice and access for the entire school community.
“Year after year, headlines paint the picture that kids simply aren’t enjoying reading like they used to, but at Scholastic, we know that discovering the right book can make all the difference. That’s why the mission of the United States of Readers program is for every child to choose and own their books and feel happy and empowered about reading,” said Scholastic’s Chief Impact Officer, Judy Newman. “We are thrilled to bring this program to Pennsylvania, where Scholastic was founded over 100 years ago, and we hope schools in these districts will be a model for others across the country, so every child can reap the benefits of choosing their own books and developing their reading proficiency and self-confidence as readers.”
“It brings me such joy to be part of a program like this—where we are not only talking about fixing education, but actually taking action to support students,” said State Representative Carol Hill-Evans. “The United States of Readers program is about more than just putting books in students’ hands—it’s about empowering them with the tools to dream big, stay curious, and keep learning. For too long, the quality of a child’s education in Pennsylvania depended on their zip code, and that’s not right. Programs like this are helping to right that wrong by giving every child access to books they want to read and the opportunity to grow into confident, critical thinkers."
The United States of Readers program, founded by Scholastic and co-created with classroom teachers, aims to bridge the gap of literacy and book inequity, specifically in high Title I schools and rural areas where students have little or no opportunity to choose books they are motivated to read, and build their home libraries. The program is supported through state funding, foundations, and private philanthropy contributions. Initial state funding was allocated by the State Legislature in the Fiscal Year (FY 25) budget, championed by Rep. Jordan A. Harris, with the goal of expanding the program in the future to more schools in Pennsylvania and across the United States.
“The ability to read, and the enjoyment of learning through reading, are the keys to breaking cycles of poverty for urban and rural communities alike,” said Mayor Michael Helfrich. “We thank and welcome Scholastic's United States of Readers to our community to support literacy efforts. As Mayor, I applaud the State Legislature, including our State Representative Carol Hill-Evans, for making this program possible through public funding and look forward to seeing the positive impact for our Title I schools."
“In the School District of the City of York, we know that strong literacy skills are essential to every student’s academic success,” said Superintendent Dr. Andrea J. Berry-Brown, Ed.D. “The United States of Readers program is a powerful resource for our schools—putting high-interest books into the hands of our students and helping them build both skills and confidence as readers. We’re incredibly grateful to Representative Hill-Evans and the Pennsylvania legislature for investing in programs like this that support real, lasting growth for our students.”