NJEA, Super Bowl Champion team up for literacy

Delivering a winning combination for New Jersey’s kids and educators

Trenton, NJ/Atlanta, GA – The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and Share the Magic Foundation, the nonprofit organization of Super Bowl LI Champion Malcolm Mitchell are proud to announce they are teaming up to hold a month-long celebration of reading in recognition of National Reading Month in March.

To support ongoing efforts to build a nation of diverse readers, this year’s Read Across-NJ celebration will include special programs, offers and events to promote a love of reading among New Jersey’s educators, students and families. To kick off the month, NJEA members on Monday can register for their opportunity to get a free copy of Malcolm’s first children’s book, “The Magician’s Hat” (Scholastic; 2018) and free educator asset bundle, which contains a complete teacher’s guide and other resources to make the most of this critically acclaimed story.

The collaborative will culminate on March 31 with a live virtual Q&A event with Mitchell, hosted by NJEA.  Event participants will also have the opportunity to win a Read Across-NJ swag bag and hear about upcoming summer reading events available for educators and students.

“I am proud to team up with NJEA to motivate kids to Read Across New Jersey in March – and to meet thousands of NJ educators on March 31st,” said Mitchell. “Reading created a path that led me to the Super Bowl. My mission is to show kids that the path to achieving their dreams, starts with reading.”

Despite his Super Bowl win, Mitchell considers a love of reading to be one of his greatest achievements. In 2016, he founded Share the Magic Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of reading and book ownership, especially among striving and below grade-level readers who are at risk of academic failure.  The Foundation’s Read with Malcolm literacy initiatives are aimed at inspiring positive attitudes towards reading through in-school programs and national virtual reading challenges.

“NJEA is proud to continue our long-standing tradition of supporting Read Across,” said NJEA President Marie Blistan.  “It’s always one of our most popular member programs of the year, and I am so excited to join forces with Malcolm as we strive to instill a love of reading in our students, expand their literacy opportunities and show them that, when you work hard, anything is possible.”

NJEA works to promote reading and literacy through Read Across-NJ in support of the National Education Association’s (NEA) Read Across America program. Through its Read Across-NJ program, NJEA urges educators and students throughout the state to explore the world and other cultures through the magic of books.  For the last 21 years, NJEA has made a major investment in Read Across-NJ, and each year, that commitment grows. The titles and resources featured in the Read Across-NJ program also strive to include authors and books that students can see themselves reflected in.