In its first year, the district’s Million Words Campaign fashioned approximately 13,000 “millionaires” - students who read one million words - as part of the literacy plan started this year.

At yesterday’s Board of Education meeting (May 15), Marrama and Kaiser elementary schools and Hamilton Middle School took top honors for having the most students who reached the million-word mark. Based on an April 15 count, Marrama Elementary School had 474 million-word readers - more than 95 percent of its population; Kaiser Elementary School had 326 million-word readers - 93 percent of its population; and Hamilton Middle School had 328 million-word readers - almost 33 percent of its population.

Here are additional celebrations scheduled this month:

Barnum Elementary School, 85 Hooker St., will start the day with a short parade and flag raising ceremony at 8:50 a.m. Monday, May 19, where teachers will present Million Words Campaign ribbons to approximately 350 students who reached their reading goals. The school tallied the amount of time students spent reading rather than the number of words they read. Students earned books for every 25 hours they read. At 10 and 11:10 a.m., the school will host two short assemblies to recognize everyone's efforts and to honor six classrooms and their teachers for special efforts. A representative of the Barnum-Ross Public Library will speak about the summer reading program it promotes. In the afternoon, student council will distribute cakes to each classroom that read the book “Mission Accomplished!” (The school’s theme has been “Reach for the Stars...a Million Word Mission.”) For information, contact David Bakken, 303-935-3509.

Lowry Elementary School, 8001 E. Cedar Ave, will host a “Million Words Celebration” at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 21 outside on the grass field (weather permitting). The school has 128 one-million word readers participating - 63 percent of the school population. Eight are two-million word readers! All students will receive a root beer float and a pencil with “excellent reader” on it. Two-million word readers will also receive a $15 gift certificate to the School Book Fair which begins that night. For information, contact Susan Brettell at the school, 303-340-0179.

Brown Elementary School, 2550 Lowell Blvd., will celebrate 128 kindergarten through fifth-grade million-word readers at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 22 in the school auditorium. For information, contact the school at 303-477-1611.

Gust Elementary School, 3440 W. Yale Ave., will celebrate approximately 250 million-word readers during a 9:30 a.m. assembly for third through fifth-graders and a 1:30 p.m. assembly for kindergarten through second-graders on Tuesday, May 27. The school will award honorees with certificates, t-shirts and “Million Words +” buttons. Following the assembly, million-word readers will be treated to a pizza party. For information, contact the school at 303-935-4613.

Colfax Elementary School, 1526 Tennyson St., will celebrate its million-word readers at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 4. Darlene Le Doux, Assistant Superintendent for School Community Partnerships, will present medals to the readers. For information, contact the school at 303-623-6148.