Baldwin County School District Celebrates Million-Word Readers with Limousine Tour and Special Lunch

Baldwin County School District recently rolled out the red carpet for some of its most dedicated young readers, celebrating students who reached the incredible milestone of reading one million words or more during the school year. To honor their achievement, the district treated its “Millionaires” to a deluxe tour aboard one of two luxury limousines, carrying students through historic Downtown Milledgeville before arriving at Little Tokyo for a special celebratory lunch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzkPtdf0nEo

Big Readers Get Big Rewards

For Director of Curriculum Erica Ingram, the Million-Word Reader celebration connects directly to Baldwin County School District’s broader literacy work.

“We wanted to promote reading and reward the students who took the challenge even further,” said Ingram. “When students start reading for leisure, they pick topics that interest them, and that makes them read even more and more, which helps them become extremely fluent readers.”

Students were celebrated like true VIPs as they walked the red carpet, climbed into the limousines, and enjoyed a special ride through town. For many, it was their first time riding in a limousine, making the day even more memorable. After the tour, students arrived at Little Tokyo, where they enjoyed a hibachi lunch and watched as chefs prepared their meals with impressive utensil-tossing skills and tableside flair.

Aaron Sherwood, the reader with the highest word count, got to lead the line on and off the limousine.

Teaching a Love of Reading

Among the top readers was fifth grader Aaron Sherwood, who read approximately 6.2 million words over the course of the year. His secret was simple: consistent reading and a little bit of competitive drive. “Since it started, I just wanted to win,” Aaron said. “I wanted to have the most words. It makes me feel proud of what I can do.”

Aaron said he typically reads about an hour to an hour and a half each day, naming The Ranger’s Apprentice series among his favorites because the books are so intriguing that he “couldn’t stop reading them.”

Third grader Aiden Greene, another top reader, said reading is already one of his favorite things to do. “My hobby is to read,” he said. He also shared that one of his favorite series is Diary of a Wimpy Kid because “it has a lot of comedy.”

“Often, students just need support to get the motivation to excel. This is why we implemented the Million-Word Reader challenge,” said Superintendent Dr. Kristina Brooks, “It was so important for me to show our students that reading is not just something we do to pass a test. Seeing these young learners reach and exceed their goals has been so inspiring.” 

Through classroom instruction, independent reading, and special celebrations like this one, BCSD continues to encourage students to see themselves as capable, confident readers whose hard work deserves to be recognized.