Commissioner Makin Kicks Off the 10th Annual Read to ME Challenge at Skillin Elementary School 

The 10th annual Read to ME Challenge through the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is now underway for the month of February! On Monday, Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin kicked off the Challenge at Skillin Elementary School in South Portland by reading I Can Be All Three by Salima Alikhan and Noor Sofi and Happy Pig Day! by Mo Willems to first-grade students. 

“When you read to children, you get so much back,” Commissioner Makin said following the read-aloud. “It’s important to remind kids how much of their imagination and their thinking can be expanded with a book.” 

The Read to ME Challenge is a month-long public awareness campaign, designed to promote reading and literacy development among Maine children. Adults are encouraged to read to or with a child or children for at least 15 minutes during the month of February. They are then asked to share that experience to amplify the Challenge’s reach across Maine – and to encourage others to participate. 

Participants may capture their moments reading with photos or videos posted on social media using #ReadtoME or #ReadaloudME or by tagging @MaineDepartmentofEducation1! on Facebook and @mainedepted on Instagram. The Read to ME Challenge represents a wonderful opportunity for schools, childcare programs, libraries, and other community organizations to get kids engaged with reading. 

To celebrate a decade of success, the Maine DOE is offering participating schools and organizations an exciting new opportunity this year to win a visit from a Maine author! Schools and organizations that take part in the Read to ME Challenge may fill out this form for a chance to be entered into a random drawing at the end of the Challenge, which concludes after Read Across America Day (recognized by schools this year on March 3). About a dozen winners will be selected from this drawing for a visit from a Maine author before the end of the school year in June. These authors have expressed that they’re excited to share their works with readers across the state. 

You may learn more about the Read to ME Challenge on the Maine DOE website. If you are submitting to win an author visit, please complete your entry by Friday, March 7, 2025.  

Schools and organizations that wish to share photos of their Read to ME Challenge participation should please contact Maine DOE Communications Outreach Manager Rachel Paling at Rachel.Paling@maine.gov. With further questions about the Challenge, please contact Maine DOE Director of Early Learning Lee Anne Larsen at Leeann.Larsen@maine.gov. 

To enjoy Read to ME Challenge posts shared by the Maine DOE during the month of February, consider following us on Facebook and Instagram!