CSF’s first Readathon was so successful that we just had to bring it back, this time with a twist! Schools competed in groups based on their total number of enrolled students. Group 1 consisted of schools with 500 or fewer students, while Group 2 included schools with more than 500. We also added a fun “Thank You Prize” of $500 for a participating school that has shown ongoing commitment to its reading room and student engagement over the years.

The results this time around were BIGGER and BETTER! Among 15 participating schools, an incredible total of 307,437 minutes were read in the Fall 2025 Readathon. We were amazed at the variety of participating states this year, including Florida, Georgia, Texas, Maryland, Tennessee, California, and Ohio.

In Group 1, the first-place prize of $3,000 went to Ensley Elementary School in Pensacola, Florida, who logged an outstanding 55,535 minutes. Way to go, little readers! L.O. Kimberly Elementary in Atlanta, Georgia took second place, earning $1,000 for reading 29,785 minutes. Huge applause for our Group 1 winners who really showed out.

In Group 2, our returning champions, Clifford O. Taylor/Kirklane Elementary, earned first place with an incredible 89,400 minutes read, securing another $3,000 for their reading room. This school continues to amaze us with their reading power. In second place, Edison Elementary in San Diego, California read 25,080 minutes, earning $1,000. Congratulations to Group 2 for these impressive accomplishments.

Our “Thank You Prize” of $500 went to Bonsall West Elementary in Oceanside, California. This school first opened its Ben Carson Reading Room in 2016 and has shown unwavering commitment to the program and to promoting literacy among its students ever since. We are so grateful to have them as a school partner.

We want to extend our sincerest thanks to all the schools that participated in CSF’s Fall 2025 Readathon. You made this such a fun and fulfilling experience, and we deeply appreciate your continued support of our mission. Together, we are fostering happy and confident readers.

The purpose of the CSF Readathon is to reignite a love for reading in students and re-engage them with their reading rooms. We strive to nurture that love long after the room is established. That is why we are especially grateful for our Readathon sponsor, the Louis and Phyllis Friedman Foundation, who sees the value of this initiative. Not only did they sponsor this fall’s Readathon, they also sponsored our very first one last spring. We could not be more appreciative of their generosity and their dedication to nurturing young minds across the country.

Here’s to even more stories, more curiosity, and more young readers discovering the joy of books in the months and years ahead.