Dalton, GA - Believe Greater Dalton, in partnership with Dalton Public Schools, Whitfield County Schools, and a coalition of community organizations, is proud to announce a special Reading Rally and a community celebration featuring Super Bowl Champion, author, and literacy advocate Malcolm Mitchell. These two exciting events, taking place on April 8, celebrate the collective commitment of our community to literacy and inspiring a love of reading among students.
With over 60 applicants, Believe Greater Dalton was one of 10 community organizations statewide to receive the inaugural Georgia Reads Community Award and a $25,000 literacy grant at "Georgia Reads Day" at the State Capitol in February. This award, hosted by the Georgia Council on Literacy, the Georgia Municipal Association, Georgia Forward, and the Share the Magic Foundation, honors communities that have demonstrated measurable progress in literacy initiatives over the past three to five years.
The Reading Rally will begin at 10 A.M. at the Wink Theater, where Mitchell will speak to second graders from across Dalton and Whitfield County, inspiring them with his personal journey and passion for reading. Following this, at 11 A.M., the community is invited to join Believe Greater Dalton to hear Mitchell's story, learn more about ongoing literacy efforts, and celebrate the community award at Stage 123 (123 W. Gordon Street, Dalton, GA 30720).
"This Reading Rally is a celebration of the incredible collaboration across Dalton and Whitfield County to support young readers," said Allyson Coker, Executive Director of Believe Greater Dalton. "Bringing Malcolm Mitchell to our community is an exciting opportunity to inspire students and reinforce the importance of literacy. This event and the achievement of the award highlights the power of working together to create lasting change for our children's futures."
The Dalton-Whitfield community's literacy success stems from initiatives like "DaltonReads!" and "One Whitfield Reads," supported by Dalton Public Schools, Whitfield County Schools, and organizations such as the Early Childhood Initiative of Northwest Georgia, United Way of Northwest Georgia, the Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library, Dalton/Whitfield County Family Connection, Dalton State College, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, and local healthcare, faith-based, and nonprofit groups. These partnerships work toward the shared goal of improving third grade reading proficiency and long-term student success.
Malcolm Mitchell, CEO and Founder of the Share the Magic Foundation, has dedicated his post NFL career to promoting literacy. His foundation works to transform children's lives through reading, emphasizing that literacy is key to breaking the cycle of poverty and unlocking lifelong opportunities.
The community is encouraged to attend the engagement event at Stage 123 to show support for literacy initiatives and celebrate this statewide recognition.
For more information, please contact:
Allyson Coker
Executive Director of Believe Greater Dalton coker@daltonchamber.org