Before students can learn from a book or worksheet, they first have to understand the words in front of them.
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“Reading is the foundation for everything. It’s how you survive essentially,” said Joyous Booker, a fifth grade ELA teacher at Riley Elementary and the 2026-27 Teacher of the Year.
A student’s ability to read can affect their learning across the classroom and beyond. When students struggle with reading, it can make learning other subjects more difficult.
According to the Florida Chamber of Commerce, by the end of 3rd grade, students stop learning to read and begin reading to learn meaning they should have developed a strong enough literacy foundation to carry into other subjects.
“If they can read a grade level text, then they could do a word problem in math, or they may be able to, um, read some comprehension questions in social studies, or they’re able to break down words,” Booker said.
In its 2026 Third Grade Reading Proficiency Report, the Florida Chamber of Commerce found that 60% of third graders across Florida were reading at or above grade level, up from 57% last year. However, that leaves 40% of third graders reading below grade level just over 82,000 students across the state. Although progress is being made, work still needs to be done.
Fifth grader Ny’heim Rhynes loves to read, specifically chapter books about anything. He says having good reading skills helps him beyond English class.
“It helps me in math and science because like, writing words or you need to spell them to understand. And reading is everywhere, all in your life,” Rhynes said.
Every year, WTXL employees, the Scripps Howard Fund, and community contributors donate to the “If You Give a Child a Book” campaign, which allows students to participate in a book fair where they pick out a number of books free of charge. For Rhynes, the event is something he looks forward to.
“Because it helps me understand new ideas about books and what happens and what happens in the story,” Rhynes said.
When asked how it feels to receive free books each year, Rhynes says it means a lot.
“It feels good because, you know, books help you understand and helps you read a lot,” Rhynes said.
The campaign’s impact extends beyond the students themselves.
“It’s heartwarming because they’re not just getting books for themselves, but they say ‘Let me get this book for my little sister, or let me get this book for my cousin.’ Booker said. “It’s very fulfilling. It’s very fulfilling.”
No matter the subject, reading is a skill students need to succeed. The Give a Child a Book campaign happens once a year, but donations are accepted year-round.
For more information or to make a donation, click here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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