One Word at a Time and EveryLibrary Announce Winners of the Inaugural Be Mighty for Your Library Challenge

In this episode of Global Economic Press, Alex Brady explores the Be Mighty for Your Library Challenge, a heartwarming initiative that underscores the power of community and the pivotal role libraries play in fostering youth literacy. The challenge, organized by One Word at a Time and EveryLibrary, was a National Poetry Month campaign aimed at engaging young readers and strengthening community ties with public and school libraries across the United States. The initiative was inspired by Kwame Alexander's novel-in-verse, The Mighty Macy, and involved library communities in eight states, including Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, Texas, Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, and Kansas. The campaign encouraged children to participate in poetry activities and library programming, culminating in the creation of a Community Poem for Libraries. The Be Mighty for Your Library Challenge saw significant engagement, with 602 children participating in activities, 595 original poems submitted, and 1,478 families reached through programming. The challenge concluded with the announcement of three winning library communities: Toronto Public Library in Kansas, Castleton Public Library in New York, and PQ Library in California. Each winning community received the Be Mighty Community Literacy Award, which included various benefits such as a donation for future literacy programming and media recognition. The winners were celebrated at the inaugural One Word at a Time Gala, a virtual event that raised over $35,000 to support literacy programs. For more information about One Word at a Time and its initiatives, visit their website at One Word at a Time.