A.C. Whelan Elementary School hosts Pam Muñoz Ryan for literacy event

Celebrating ‘The United States of Readers’ program in Revere

Special to The Advocate

Students and staff at A.C. Whelan Elementary School in Revere gathered Thursday to celebrate their partnership with The United States of Readers, a Scholastic literacy program dedicated to providing books to Title I schools. A.C. Whelan is one of several Title I schools in Revere benefiting from the program, which empowers pre-K through eighth grade students to choose 10 new books to own and add to their home libraries, at no cost to their families. In addition, teachers at participating schools will each receive 25 books for their classroom libraries, expanding book choice and access for the entire school community. This year, the program will serve 10,000 students across Massachusetts, including over 600 at A.C. Whelan.

Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to fund the expansion of The United States of Readers, launching in 2024 across four districts: Quincy, Revere, Holyoke and Framingham. Increased Commonwealth funding has allowed some of Boston’s Title I schools to join, furthering the program’s reach to schools that serve a high proportion of economically disadvantaged students.

The United States of Readers program — founded and delivered by Scholastic through a collaboration with new nonprofit Impact Reading — aims to bridge the gap of literacy and book inequity, specifically in Title I schools and rural areas where students have little to no opportunity to choose their own books and build their home libraries. Research from the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report™ shows more than 90% of children say their favorite books, and the ones they’re most likely to finish, are the books they choose themselves.

“Our mission is to ensure every student has the tools they need to succeed, and a love of reading is at the heart of that foundation,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dianne Kelly. “The United States of Readers program continues to bring extraordinary opportunities directly to our students, and welcoming celebrated author Pam Muñoz Ryan to A.C. Whelan Elementary is a perfect example of that commitment. When young readers get to meet the authors behind the stories they love, it sparks a deeper connection to books and the worlds they open up.”

“Revere is a city that believes in its young people, and that starts with making sure they have every opportunity to grow and thrive,” said Mayor Patrick Keefe. “The United States of Readers program is doing exactly that, bringing high-quality books and incredible experiences like today’s author event with Pam Muñoz Ryan directly to our students at A.C. Whelan Elementary. I’m proud to see our community come together to make moments like this possible.”

“Reading is one of the most powerful gifts we can give a student,” said State Representative Jessica Giannino. “As a Revere student, I remember how exciting it was to look forward to a new book or the book fair—it was the best part of the day. The United States of Readers program understands that getting the right book into a child’s hands at the right moment can change everything. Programs like this not only build reading skills, but also foster confident, curious young people who are ready to take on the world. I’m proud to support initiatives like this that make a meaningful impact for students across Revere and the Commonwealth.”