WAYNE, Pa., June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Teachers and parents in 24 countries (and counting!) have registered their children for this summer’s upcoming “The Great Reading Tournament,” produced by 311Literacy and proudly sponsored by Canva. The Great Reading Tournament (TGRT) is the world’s first free international reading competition. Boasting 10,000 books in English and Spanish, TGRT uses competition to encourage students to read, instead of idling away time playing video games or scrolling on social media.
To sign up for the contest, adults help students create a username and password for the LightSail Platform for Reading Growth, and the kids do the rest. The students choose the books that interest them. TGRT platform automatically tracks the minutes students read and displays “leaderboards” to encourage participants’ natural competitive instincts. Students can compete individually or in groups (like entire schools, classrooms, or afterschool programs). TGRT tallies the results, and students who read the most are eligible to win valuable prizes.
This summer’s tournament is 311Literacy’s fourth competition and its first during summer recess when children have an excess of time. Summer reading helps students retain and even enhance literacy skills gained during the school year, preventing the decline in academic performance known as “summer slide.” The nonprofit is excited to announce that children from 24 countries have already pledged to participate this summer, hailing from all corners of the globe. (Complete list of participating countries, below.)
In previous TGRTs, more than 40,000 students participated, reading more than four million minutes total − that’s four million minutes spent building literacy skills and strengthening the brain rather than playing video games and scrolling social media. Founder and CEO of 311Literacy Ariadna Trapote said, “If teachers only realized how simple it is for them to sign up their students for free, with nothing further required of them, I think even more U.S. students would be participating this summer. Fortunately, there is still time to register, and parents can do it independently of an organized program or school.”
TGRT Summer Edition starts on June 15 and ends on July 19, but that doesn’t mean kids have to stop reading on that date. In fact, almost 25% of students who competed in previous tournaments continued to log in after the close of the contest and read almost daily, even though the prizes and bragging rights were already awarded.
Michael Gonzales, third grade English teacher and a math programs leader at RCMA charter schools in Florida says “bragging rights” should not be underestimated. His students, most of whom are English language-learners, participated in this spring’s TGRT and his students loved the competitive aspect. “My students were always asking me to project the leaderboard on the big screen in my classroom,” Gonzales said. “I was excited about how much my students were reading because gaining fluency is the first goal, so I also offered my own prize – they got to have pizza with me for lunch, and they just loved the recognition.”
On the other side of the U.S.-Mexico border, in the tiny mountain town of San José Iturbide, the entire school is ready to compete and hopes to win top honors. “As the management team of Escuela Porvenir, we are filled with pride to see more than 920 students enthusiastically joining the reading challenge,” Carlos Rodríguez Chávez, the school’s Principal said. “We believe that each book opens a door to knowledge, and this collective effort is igniting a passion for learning that will transform not only our students, but also our community.”
To enroll an individual student, classroom, school, or other children’s organization, visit 311Literacy or contact [email protected]. 311Literacy is a 501c3 and is also seeking sponsors for tax deductible sponsorships to make TGRT even more widely available.
Countries with students registered for TGRT Summer Edition, kicking off June 15th:
- Argentina
- Canada
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Hong Kong
- India
- Israel
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Morocco
- Panama
- Peru
- Philippines
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Spain
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- U.S.
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
About 311Literacy
311Literacy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting bilingual literacy through innovative, accessible programming. Our mission is to make reading a daily joy—and a lifelong habit—for every child, regardless of income or location.
We believe literacy is foundational to equity, opportunity, and civic participation. That’s why we design engaging reading experiences that meet children where they are—at home, at school, or in their community.
The nonprofit is part of the broader 311Literacy ecosystem, which also includes 311Literacy LLC, a social impact company focused on educational product development and innovation. While the LLC develops scalable tools and programs, the nonprofit arm ensures those resources reach the students who need them most—through donor-funded access, public partnerships, and community outreach.
Contact:
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/94403430-9aca-46cd-bb04-ca0e61cc7c34
